Somewhere
by Deanstiel's Daughter
Summary: (Set in Season 4) Sam and Dean take on an unusual case in a small town where children are disapearing and only some are returning. The ones that do return claim they went to a magical place called: Somewhere. In an attempt to return the kids to their parents Dean goes to Somewhere himself to get them back, but once he gets there he finds that he does not want to leave either.
1. Chapter 1

One

"So get this?" Sam said.

Usually when Sam said those words, Dean knew that they had a hunt, particularly a juicy one, one with some gory creature that needed immediate ganking. He loved those ones. They'd been running in circles trying to stop the apocalypse for the past year that taking any relatively normal hunt was a breath of fresh air for Dean. He knew Sam felt the same way. Bobby Singer, their informant, friend, and practically their uncle had been trying to keep them occupied because he felt their pain. The two brothers were expected to take on the angelic douches Michael and Lucifer as vessels and battle one another to the death of one. It was a less than glamorous future that personally Dean wanted no part of.

"So there's this little town named Newsburg," Sam broke Dean out of his thoughts. "Word around town is that there's been a number of missing children over the years."

"So what," Dean asked, sipping the beer he'd taken from the mini fridge in their latest run down motel digs. "Police never found em? It's probably some serial child molester making his rounds?"

"The children come back Dean," Sam gave his brother a look, typing away again moments later on his laptop. The stickers on the edge of it were peeling. "Some of them do that is."

"You think they're Changelings?" Dean suggested.

"All of the children would come back then Dean," Sam argued. "Just listen. When the children come back they act completely normal and human, except they supposedly go on and on about the place they've been. At least a few parents have reported that to the local paper. They even sent some of their kids to counselors and shrinks, but they still blab on about where they were."

"Anything else interesting I should know?" Dean asked.

"Some of the missing children's cases date back to the late eighties," Sam pulled up a few articles online and showed Dean old newspaper clippings of a young boy in particular. His name was Christopher Rolland. "Those children have yet to return home or be found."

"Seems like our thing," Dean stood up from the table and threw his beer out. He walked over to his bag and started to pack it. "How fast can you be ready?"

"Any time," Sam replied, shutting his laptop and placing it in its proper case. "Anything's better than waiting idle for the angelic morning report."

Dean knew Sam was referring to Castiel. Their angelic friend had been working tirelessly every day to restore Heaven's power. Raphael the archangel, it turns out had been giving the orders instead of Father Almighty. He'd tried to locate his Father, everything from using Dean's necklace as a supposed "God magnet" to scouring every inch of the earth on his own for any signs. Dean felt for the poor guy, he knew what it was like to have an absent father. The Winchester brothers had offered their help in any way, but they'd yet to hear from the angel since the last time Dean prayed to him and that was two days prior.

"Yah ready Dean?" Sam asked from the doorway, his duffel slung over his shoulder and his laptop bag in his hand. Dean picked up his duffel bag and after grabbing the last beer from the fridge and stuffing it in there, shutting the door, and paying the motel owner did Sam and Dean Winchester start out on their next hunt.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Dean and Sam found a small motel on the outskirts of Newsburg and paid for at least a few nights. They figured this case wouldn't last them too long. Once there, they called the only person they knew for advice.

"_Yeah I've heard of it_," Bobby Singer said through the phone. _"Small little town. Not much going on. It's one of those towns where everybody knows everybody and their brother though. So as much as it's a wealth of information, be careful. I don't know of any hunters nearby or they'd have already taken care of this. Small town folk tend to not take too kindly to our type of work."_

"We'll be careful Bobby," Sam smiled; he missed their basically surrogate uncle already. They'd just come from his place. Not only was it a nice place to crash for the night, but Bobby provided food and support even when people didn't want to talk. "Hey can you look up anything on disappearing children? Like lore or monsters involved with it?"

"_That's a tall order boy," _Bobby replied, taking a sip of his whiskey in a glass. "_That could take days."_

"C'mon Bobby," Sam chuckled. "If anyone can do it it's you. We'll be scouring the books too."

Dean gave Sam a look.

"Or rather," Sam corrected himself. "I will…"

"_Alright," _Bobby finally agreed. "_I'll do some of the book work, but you fellas are doing all the legwork."_

"Got it," Sam said. "That's where we're headed now actually. Keep yah updated Bobby. Thanks again."

Sam hung up after Bobby gave him a gruff goodbye and turned to face his brother, who was busy tying up his nicer shoes. They were donning their FBI outfits and Dean tossed Sam a fake ID, which Sam placed carefully in his jacket pocket. Dean tucked his into his pants pocket. He stood up and adjusted his tie before turning towards his brother.

"Yeah," Dean said. "Why'd you tell Bobby we were both gonna hit the books? That's your job nerd boy."

"Jerk." Sam said and followed Dean out of the motel room to the car.

"Bitch." Dean replied and started up the car, they drove off towards the center of town and the police station.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

A bell chimed when they walked into the local police station. The building was practically deserted, give or take a few people milling about or waiting to be talked to. The cops were all in the back except for one portly cop who was busy reading the local newspaper gossip column and had spilled coffee on his tie. It had left a stain.

"Officer," Dean approached the desk first. "I'm Agent Paul and this is Agent Oates. We're here regarding the latest missing child case."

"About time you feds showed up," the cop narrowed his eyes at both Dean and Sam and Dean swallowed nervously. "Considering this has been going on for oh I don't know, years!"

"Well," Dean said. "It's been on our to-do list."

"Yeah I'm sure it has," the cop rolled his eyes. "Yah asswipes."

Sam had to step in before Dean tore him a new one. He gave Dean a look that clearly radiated "stand down" and looked back at the officer, but before he could speak a man exited the back room. A man who was clearly the police chief.

"Lester," he said. "Don't you have paperwork to do?"

"Yes sir." Lester, the portly cop turned back towards his computer and booted it up.

"Come with me boys," the captain motioned for Sam and Dean to follow him into the back. "You'll have to excuse Lester, he doesn't get out much."

"It shows." Dean muttered, but saying it loud enough so Lester could hear, he had to get his jab in there. Lester glared at Dean as he and Sam followed the police chief into his office. The room was neatly organized, not as bad as the police chief back when Dean had contracted that awful ghost sickness. The most cluttered part of his entire workspace was his desk next to his computer. There were pictures of the chief and his family. His arm was draped around a beautiful woman in most of them and a little boy was in one, popping out in front of them and sticking out his tongue. Sam and Dean sat down in the chairs across from his.

"So," the chief said. "You're here regarding the children?"

"Yes," Sam spoke before Dean could say anything else, the last thing they needed were pissed off cops on their tails. "We understand another child has gone missing Mr…"

"Please," the chief sat down at his desk chair. "Call me Mike."

"Mike," Sam continued. "How often has this been occurring now?"

"The first disappearance was years ago," Mike explained. "The eighties…"

"Christopher Rolland," Sam finished for him, he saw something change in the chief's eyes then it disappeared as if it'd never happened. "The first boy to go missing in this area."

"Sadly not the last," Mike replied. "It's strange though, it's like only some of the children go missing. Some come back, but most of them they stay gone. It's like some portal opened up and swallowed them."

"I hate to ask," Sam nodded. "But you don't think they're…"

"No," Mike stated rather insistently. "No evidence of any bodies has ever been found and no DNA has been found leading to a killer."

"I understand," Sam replied, he knew it was best to change the subject a little. "Not wanting to give up hope even after so long. What about the children that have come back? What have they been saying?"

"Nonsense," Mike shook his head. "That's all it is to me. Just childish fantasy."

"Humor us." Sam insisted.

"Stuff about this magical forest," Mike waved his hand to simulate flying. "Fairies, talking trees, leaves, etc. Stuff like out of a child's fairy tale."

"Really," Dean spoke up. "And they didn't say anything else? No names mentioned?"

"If you're suggesting abduction." Mike said.

"Just keeping all doors open," Dean replied and refrained from saying anything else. "Mike."

"Sorry," Mike sighed. "It's just after having no answers for so long and suddenly some of these children are showing up and others aren't and the children aren't giving us any answers either. It just grates on yah."

"I understand," Sam stood up to leave. "Well thank you Mike and let us know if we can help you in any way. We're sorry we didn't come sooner."

"It's fine," Mike said, Dean could sense tiredness but no bitterness in his voice, thankfully he was nothing like their "pal" at the front desk. "I'll call yah."

Sam handed him a business card for he and Dean's cell phones and the pair exited quietly. Dean didn't make eye contact with the officer at the desk, Lester, but he could the man's eyes boring into the back of his head as they walked back through the front door to the police station and back towards the Impala.

"Any thoughts?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," Sam replied, looking around. "It just seems like a bunch of kids being kids. What with fantasy lands and such?"

"Maybe," Dean looked over towards a bench nearby. There was a little girl who looked about ten year's old sitting on it. Her head was cast down and she was drawing in a sketchpad with crayons. Her mother was inside the post office nearby, it appeared. "Or maybe we should just go right to the source?"

Dean looked both ways and walked across the street when it was clear. Sam followed close behind him as Dean approached the little girl. Her blonde hair was put into pigtails and she hummed an identifiable song.

"That's a nice picture you've got there," Dean smiled and she looked up at him, smiling too, her front tooth had fallen out. "You're quite the little artist."

"Thank you," she replied. "I'm drawing my friend Org and I."

"Well he seems like he must be a pretty special friend," Dean said, looking down at the picture. It was the little girl holding hands with a rather nasty looking troll, but he was smiling none the less. "Where'd you meet this friend?"

"I met him in Somewhere," the little girl explained. "He lives there. It's where I went for a little bit last month. Mommy was worried sick, but Org said I'd be able to see her again. He was right."

"I see," Dean nodded. The bell on the post office chimed and a woman walked out. "Can you tell me more about this friend of yours? Does he have any other friends?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "He does, they're—"

"Sarah Marie," the woman said, stomping over to her little girl and grabbing her by the arm. "Come along and stop telling silly stories. You've already disappeared once this year I don't need that happening ever again. Now come!"

The woman dragged the little girl, Sarah, from the park bench and off down the sidewalk. She clutched to her sketch pad tightly, but her picture slipped out and blew in the breeze towards Dean's feet. It landed right in front of him. Dean picked it up. The corner of it flapped in the wind and Dean stared intently at the crayon drawing of the little girl and a troll. Sam peered over his shoulder. Dean quickly pocketed the drawing and with one final look at the little girl and her mother dragging her along, he and Sam turned tail and drove away in the Impala towards the motel.

**Reviews are appreciated!**

**What do ya'll think so far? Sound interesting?**


	2. Chapter 2

Two

"We're at a loss here Bobby," Sam said to the eldest hunter in the motel room. Bobby had driven out to Newsburg and rented the room down the hall from the brothers. "We've got nothing but a few dozen kids hopped up on fantasy land."

"So you boys are telling me you've already been here a day and a half," Bobby had shown up late the night before with an arsenal in the trunk and a pressed and tailored suit in case he needed to impersonate. "And all you've got is Bridge To Terebithia on steroids?"

Sam and Dean both looked equally confused.

"Oh come on," Bobby leaned up against the wall, arms crossed and rolled his eyes. "It was a good book and I'll admit I cried a little. You boys really need to brush up on your pop culture."

"Ok so let's just say that's what we've got," Sam replied. "Why and more importantly how?"

"Yah got me," Bobby shrugged.

"Damn," Dean looked up at the eldest hunter and tightly clenched his beer. "You don't think this is some kind of trickster do you? You know, making things out of nothing?"

"Nah," Bobby replied, getting off of the wall and starting to pace a bit. "Not their MO. They're out for blood, not children's entertainment. Besides they go after dicks, how many children do you know that you can honestly say are dicks?"

"Not many." Dean replied.

"Really," Sam asked, surprised. "I would've thought children would run screaming at the sight of your face?"

"No I don't know many children," Dean replied, taking a sip of his beer then pointing a finger at Sam. "So shut your mouth bitch."

"Jerk," Sam replied.

"Could you two idjits focus please," Bobby said, cutting into their brotherly spat. "It's bad enough we've gotta worry about the damn apocalypse without having to worry about whatever the Hell's going on in this town."

Dean and Sam shut up immediately for they knew Bobby was completely right. The apocalypse had been looming over the boys like a dark and miserable cloud for months now. They both had been informed of Lucifer's supposed rising and what Michael planned on doing about it. Now they just had to sit back and wait for the magic to happen and if they could save a few people along the way then that was good enough for both of them.

"So," Dean stood up and threw away the beer bottle, his hand lingering on the neck for a moment before Sam watched him and made sure he tossed it out. They'd yet to address the drinking problem Dean seemed to be slowly developing, but the younger Winchester hadn't said a word. He knew many hunters chose to drink to forget or to numb some of the emotional pain that went along with the job. "What we have is some supernatural thing that loves preying on little kids, but not killing them. Some of them come back, but some don't. Like that Rolland kid, he's been missing for years now."

"What kind of monster just lets things go?" Sam asked.

"Not any that I've heard of," Bobby replied. "But that's why I brought books. Since there's no body to investigate we gotta think up a few possible theories. Dean, I think you should canvas the town and check to see if there's any more kids coming home or still missing."

"Alright," Dean nodded. He wasn't about to put up a fight when it came to getting out of research. He was more an action man; he hated the book work that came before a case sometimes. "I'll be back before you can say so get this."

Dean pulled on a jacket and exited the motel room leaving Bobby and Sam at the table with a mountain of books in front of them.

"Don't think I don't notice either boy," Bobby gave Sam a knowing look as he opened the first book of lore. "Let's just get this hunt over with."

Sam nodded, fully aware of what Bobby was referring to and then opened up a book himself.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Dean sat on the cold metal bench near the practically desolate playground where only a few children were playing. He leaned back on the chilly metal of the backing of the bench and sighed. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary except for the lack of children flocking to play. It was chilly outside though, he had to admit.

"I never get tired of it," Castiel, the angel that had pulled Dean up and out of Hell, appeared beside the hunter and scared the living daylights out of him. He jumped as Castiel sat calmly and continued to stare forward at the playground equipment. "Humanity that is."

"What do your haloed freak friends want now," Dean rolled his eyes, annoyed with the whole demon and angel war already even though it hadn't even begun yet. "Let me guess the blood of my first born?"

"What would make you think they would want that Dean?"Castiel cocked his head at the hunter, looking extremely confused.

"Sarcasm Cas," Dean grumbled. "Learn it."

"My apologies," Castiel looked back towards the children. "I take it you and your brother are working on a case?"

"Yes," Dean lowered his voice. "We figure we'd best do something constructive before this whole damn world disappears."

Castiel didn't reply. He knew Dean's opinion on this war. It wasn't like it was the angel's fault. He needed to carry out the orders his Father had given him. War was inevitable. He wished he could make Dean understand that. But there was no convincing the hunter of that. No way.

"Children are disappearing," Dean explained. "Some of them come back, but some don't. Parents are getting worried. It's been going on in this town for years."

"Father forbid another one does," Castiel replied and Dean's anger towards him softened a bit. Castiel wasn't like the rest of the angels. He was more in tune with earth even though he hadn't been there long. He held Castiel in a higher regard than the others because he truly was different. It was as though he'd started breaking rules left and right ever since he'd met Dean. "I'll keep in touch Dean."

With that being said, Castiel flew off back to Heaven. Dean was slowly getting used to the angel's random visits now and then. Except for the talk about the seals and anything to do with the angelic side of the war that apparently Dean was a major part of. He happened to look over at a woman nearby who was sitting on the other bench and reading some mystery novel. She kept a vigilant eye on the little girl who was climbing on the jungle gym nearby.

"Be careful Sierra," the woman commented and the little girl nodded before resuming her play. "Thank you."

"That your daughter," Dean managed a smile and pointed to the little blonde haired girl who was currently going down the slide. "She looks terribly smart."

"She's actually advanced," the woman smiled back and offered to let Dean sit. "Fifth grade instead of fourth. How'd you guess?"

"I know smart kids when I see em," Dean flashed his fake ID. "Seen enough of em."

"I take it you're here because of the child disappearances," she sighed. "Such a shame."

"Well that's why my partners and I are here," Dean replied. "Miss?"

"Call me Miranda." The woman said.

"Miranda," Dean nodded. "Do you have any theories on where they went?"

"Who doesn't," Miranda explained. "Child predator, wanderlust and childhood curiosity, being eaten by something in the woods. You name it, the adults of this town have thought of it. We don't know why only some of the kids come back, but those who haven't weigh deeply on the parents missing them. You see the doors of the houses nearby?"

"Yeah," Dean turned his head towards them, on almost every door hung a small wreath with a white ribbon in the center looped like the breast cancer ribbon. "What do they mean?"

"Each house with one has a child that's still missing," she explained. "The ones with pink ones are the children who have returned. The ones with just wreaths and no ribbons don't have children, but are in full support of those who do. Even the local cops wear tiny ribbons on their uniforms."

"I see," Dean nodded, taking it all in. He found it all so hard to believe, but this was commonly the nature of the hunts they went on. Everything involved was usually so hard to believe. "Well Miranda my partners and I, we're going to bring em all home."

"Every single one," Miranda asked with a hint of skepticism in her voice. "I'm sorry agent, but that seems highly unlikely. The police here have been trying for years now."

"Well," Dean stood up, tucking his leather jacket tighter to his body as the breeze picked up. "I promise you. We'll get them all back. We'll end this nightmare for everyone."

Miranda gave Dean a hopeful smile and thanked him as he walked away and back towards the motel room. There were no more mothers with children around and this mission Bobby had sent him on had been pointless. Miranda hadn't provided any more insight into what had possibly taken the children from Newsburg. She'd only shed light on everyone's reactions to their misfortune. Dean wasn't good with too many people's emotions bottled up in one place, he was better with results. But for now, at least he had an idea of who not to come to for information. Dean strode back into the motel parking lot right as the sun started to go down and the air begun to change.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Night had fallen and while the tired town slept one small girl was trudging her way through it, down the empty sidewalks, and to the woods. She smiled brightly and carried her stuffed toy dog named Henry along with her. Henry dangled in her arm and was practically dragging him. Her long blonde hair was a mess of knots and her purple nightgown was barely covering her bare feet. It was far too cold to be out without a jacket and far too late to be without a parent, but she didn't seem to care. She was on a mission. She followed behind her friend.

"My friend Robbie told me about Somewhere," she mentioned. "She said it's very pretty Mr. Org."

"It is Miss Sierra," Org the troll replied. His big burly and fat hand reached out for hers and she took it. Org didn't lack any graces despite his grotesque appearance. He was practically bald and wrinkly and wore nothing but these old pants filled with holes and a ratty old shirt. One yellowing tooth stuck out of his mouth every time he closed it and brought his lips together. He wasn't very tall. He had deep brown eyes and bare feet as well with giant toes and yellow toenails. He looked like every child's definition of a troll, but seemingly with a heart of gold. "I live there and very soon you will too."

"I want to," Sierra nodded with a huge smile. "Robbie says you're his favorite besides the leader lady."

"That's what they all say," Org sighed and mustered a bigger smile as he led Sierra to the edge of the woods. Her toes squished into the damp grass nearby. The approached an opening between two trees. Their branches were bending towards one another in such a way that it looked like a gate almost. "Don't worry Miss. Sierra you're going to be safe here and right at home."

"Ok Org," she nodded and giggled a little. The troll still held her hand; her hand was so tiny compared to his. "I wanna go with you."

"Well," Org nodded and he touched in between the two trees. The air there rippled like a portal. "Let's go then."

Sierra and Org walked through the portal hand in hand, leaving the sleeping town behind them.

**Reviews are appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

Three

Dean let out a deep sigh as he followed Sam down the sidewalk towards the woods the next morning. Bobby had decided to stay behind and do more research since this one was truly stumping them all. Dean looked around at every door on the block, every single one had a wreath and almost everyone had a ribbon of some color too. Dean felt a lump form in his throat and he tried to swallow it down, but he found he couldn't. He couldn't even imagine not only losing someone he loved, but an entire community all experiencing the same pain at the same time. Dean felt this tiny ball of rage inside him. They had to find who or what was doing this and fast before Dean started knocking off heads.

When they approached the crime scene they saw numerous local cops along with one forensic van. All of the cops except for Mike were scouring the area. Mike was interviewing a woman, a woman Dean had met before. It was Miranda. Dean's eyes went wide as he tore over towards her and Mike. Mike turned his head and stopped writing on his legal pad.

"Ah Agent Paul," Mike said. "I was just talking to Miranda Howe here."

"We've met." Dean nodded; Miranda's face was streaked with tears.

"There's been another disappearance," Mike sighed; sadness was in his voice. "I'll let her brief you."

Mike walked away to speak with Sam and a few other cops. Dean turned his gaze back to Miranda and offered her a smile as best as he could muster. He knew that was the last thing she needed right now, but there was nothing else he could give.

"Your daughter..." Dean said without finishing.

"She's gone," Miranda replied quietly. "God I knew this could happen, but I-I didn't think it could happen to me."

"Do you have any idea where she could have gone?" Dean tried to get her to remain calm.

"I told you," she protested. "No. There's no way to tell. The only thing they found is her stuffed dog."

Dean turned his attention to the woman's hands. In them she held an old and worn toy. It was a dog with floppy ears and patchwork quilt fabric all over it. It was bit moist on its underside because it had been lying in the grass for hours into the early morning when the morning dew took over. It smelled like laundry detergent showing that it had been recently cleaned and was well taken care of. That was what puzzled Dean most of all. Why would a precious toy be left at such a location? Unless it was to give the police a clue as to where Miranda's daughter had been taken, in that case Dean had been right when he'd stated that she was smart child.

"Did the toy look thrown," Dean inquired. The wheels in his mind were starting to turn. "Or did it look staged? Or placed for that matter?"

"How am I supposed to know," Miranda gave Dean a strange look. "I got here only after someone found the toy and I found my daughter was missing from her bed."

"How'd they know it was her?" Dean replied.

"She carries this damn thing everywhere," Miranda held the stuffed puppy up by the neck. Dean could sympathize with it being choked even though it was simply a toy. "She takes it in public, to school sometimes if I don't take it back up to her room. I told her that the kids at school will make fun of her for it, but she doesn't seem to care."

"I see," Dean sighed, that ruled out the dog being left as a tip. "Well thank you Miranda. I appreciate your intel."

"It wasn't much," She sighed too, but more fresh warm tears fell from her eyes and down her cheeks as she stared at the dog. "Just...I want her home. She can't disappear. Not forever. Not like the rest of the kids."

"Hey," Dean placed his hand over hers, the one that held the dog. She looked up at him through bleary eyes. "I swear to you. I will get your daughter back to you. I promise on my life."

"You can't promise that," Miranda shook her head in disbelief. "All of the others that have, they couldn't get it done."

"Well I'm different," Dean gave her a determined look. "My partners and I, we're not like the rest of em. We'll finish the job the others could only start."

Dean stared into her eyes and she could tell he meant what he'd said. Miranda Howe wasn't usually one to trust anyone on the police force in her town. Besides Mike, he was her oldest friend and they'd grown up together here and both raised families. She knew he, more than anyone, just wanted the children to come home. She looked over at him and he gave her a comforting smile and she forcibly returned one. She turned her attention back to Dean.

"Thank you." It was all she could muster.

"You're welcome," Dean said. "Just go home and get some rest as hard as it may seem. I promise you it'll help."

She nodded and slinked away down the sidewalk towards her house looking as though the weight of the world was on her shoulders. Dean felt for her, though he had no children of his own, he knew how he'd felt when he'd lost Sam even for a few days was basically the equivalent of this. The worst part in his opinion was that this had been going on for so long, too long. Dean felt a new responsibility thrust upon him when he'd promised Miranda he'd bring her daughter back. It wasn't just her daughter he had to bring back it was everyone's daughter and everyone's son who were lost, the children of all who had lost.

Dean strode over to Sam and greeted him with a silent stare. Sam knew what it meant though. Sam waited for the searching cops to disperse before he spoke.

"No trace of the girl," Sam informed his brother, keeping his voice low. "It's like she disappeared into thin air, but of course we know that's not the case. There's something weird going on in these woods. Did you know this is where Christopher Rolland disappeared, in these woods, and he was never seen again?"

"No kidding," Dean replied, keeping a close eye out for lingering ears. "You think it has anything to do with the woods itself or something living in them?"

"My guess is both," Sam said. "We should go back to the motel room and see if Bobby's dug up anything."

"Agreed," Dean nodded. "We should get some lunch too. I could go for a burger."

"You could always go for a burger." Sam rolled his eyes and a small smile formed in the corner of his mouth.

"Hey," Dean protested. "I came back from Hell. I deserve one."

Sam's shoulders tensed up a little at Dean's mention of his time in Hell. Sam had yet to ask his brother what the nightly nightmares and the excessive drinking entailed. He was sure the memories were killing Dean, but he couldn't bring himself to ask his brother what he'd seen. So instead the younger Winchester just kept silent about it.

"Hey," Sam pointed at Mike as he talked with another cop. "Mike's got one of those ribbons on his jacket. I guess he supports those who've lost."

Dean remembered what Miranda had said regarding the ribbons, that if someone had one, they'd lost a child and if it was white the child had yet to come back. Mike's was white. Dean swallowed a lump that was forming in his throat. He understood now why Mike had been so insistent back at the police headquarters. He'd lost someone to this supernatural force too and was probably just as eager to get them back. Dean assumed it was the little boy in the photos that littered the man's office. He also hadn't been wearing his coat when they'd first met him. So they hadn't seen the ribbon until now.

Mike gave Dean a look, he was clearly wondering why he was staring at him. Dean shook off his thoughts and looked away and so did Mike.

"We should get back to Bobby Dean," Sam urged as he started walking towards the sidewalk. "Dean?"

"Yeah," Dean wanted so badly to talk to Mike about who he'd lost, but he knew better than to get too attached to anyone in a case. It always led to danger for them. "I'm coming Sammy."

Dean followed his brother back to the motel. He hoped Bobby had something constructive for them because now they were running out of time for Dean to make good on his promise to Miranda.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"Whatcha got for us Bobby?" Sam asked as Dean closed the door behind them and they started shedding their FBI suits.

"You boys are in for a hell of a hard one this time," Bobby's eyes widened and he gave them a look. "The Basket Woman."

"Scuse me," Dean returned the look. "Sounds like some housewife that went 'bit nuts at Hobby Lobby?"

"Apparently this one has gotten smarter in her years," Bobby pushed the book in Sam's direction so he could read the entry. "She still lets the children go on accident."

"This explains why only some of the kids come back," Sam nodded like he'd had a sudden epiphany. "The Basket Woman is a Native American legend. It tells of an ogress who captures children and carries them to another location in her pack basket to eat them."

"Great," Dean's stomach clenched. There was no way he could back down on his promise to Miranda now. Not when her daughter's life was in grave danger. "What else does it say? How do we kill this bitch?"

"Luckily," Sam said. "She's kind of dim in her wits. So some of the children manage to escape."

"Meets the MO perfectly," Bobby sighed. "Unfortunately that's most likely why some of them don't come back."

Silence passed for a few moments.

"How do we kill her?" Dean said, a new sense of determination filling the hunter.

"Special knife," Sam ran his finger over the line in the book. "Blessed by a Native American."

"Ok Sammy," Dean threw his arms up into the air. "Let me just go find the nearest non-existent reservation."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch," Bobby interrupted before Sam could shoot back. "I know somebody nearby, in the next town actually, that'll have what we need."

"I've got a better question," Sam had a serious look on his face as we looked between the two hunters on either side of him. "How do we get near her to kill her? She only goes after children."

The trio spent a few moments contemplating their options. None of them wanted to volunteer a child for the job, that was sadistic thinking and they all quickly dismissed the idea as soon as it had formed. Finally Bobby was the first to speak.

"I know a spell," Bobby cleared his throat. "It makes an adult human soul appear to others as a child's. It's an old ritual someone taught me. It's not an amazing plan, but it will most likely work."

"Bobby," Dean gave him a small smile. "You're a genius."

Bobby shrugged.

"Problem is," Bobby looked at both brothers. "One of us will have to be the one to take on the effects of the ritual."

"Me." Dean said firmly. "There's no doubt in my mind it has to be me."

Sam gave his brother a look; he didn't understand why Dean was so gung ho in this case. Much less in general. It was as though Dean had no regard for his life anymore once again even though Castiel had saved it from the deepest depths of Hell. Sam figured Dean was in a whole new level of martyrdom since the world was inherently ending very soon according to the angels, but he had to admit sometimes lately Dean had been going to extremes.

"Ok then," Bobby was skeptical, but nodded. Sam could tell the older hunter was thinking the same thing he was. "We'll take my car. It's not too far, not but a mile up the road. The guy owns a store nearby and I'm sure he'll have everything we need."

Bobby got up from the dining table in the motel room and grabbed a jacket. Dean and Sam followed suit before the trio locked the motel door and made their way towards Bobby's car.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

A bell jingled when the hunter trio strode through the doors of the curio shop Bobby had pulled up to. The shop smelled like old carpeting and cigars. It was a scent that both Sam and Dean were not used to and they scrunched up their noses a bit, but Bobby walked like it didn't affect him. The shelves were stacked high with a menagerie of spices and concoctions that could make any witch green with envy.

"Hair of the wolf," Dean chuckled as he inspected one of the glass jars. "Hey Sammy get a load of this."

"Cures werewolves," a softer voice was heard and Dean jumped at the sight of a slightly shorter Native American man with black hair in a ponytail and soft brown eyes. Sam laughed at his brother. "Do not touch."

"Gotcha," Dean grabbed at his heart. The man walked over to Bobby. "Geez somebody get that guy a bell or something."

"I understand," the man talked mostly to Bobby, but Sam and Dean listened intently. "That you are dealing with The Basket Woman. She hasn't been brought up to me for years. My people used to speak of her when I was small. They warned me of her, saying she'd snatch me up and take me away forever."

"Well that's what we're hoping to prevent," Bobby nodded. "She's set up camp in a nearby town and she's taking kids. We've gotta get rid of her before she eats all of them."

"I've got the knife ready since you called ahead," he nodded and started to reach into a few glass jars, placing ingredients in a bowl and grabbing a tool to mash it up with. "I just need to mix the herbs for the ritual you spoke of. I must warn you though Bobby Singer. This will prove to be a difficult monster. Based on what you described she may have grown stronger and smarter."

"We'll see." Bobby replied as the man pounded the herbs into the bottom of the bowl until they became pungent and their scent filled the entire store. Dean almost choked it was so strong. The owner of the shop, once done grinding the herbs, placed them in a vial with this special kind of water and handed it to Bobby. The eldest hunter pocketed it and thanked the man.

"Who is planning to drink it?" he asked and Dean raised a finger to signal it was him. He smiled a little.

"Gods bless your soul," the man sighed and looked at Dean with a look of disdain. "May the Gods also bless your journey back to Newsburg."

"Thank you." Bobby nodded and Sam started followed him to the front door. Dean did too, but looked back at the store owner one last time. He was staring at Dean like the way a hawk looked at its prey. Dean swallowed hard, wondering what he had just signed up for as he too exited the building and climbed into the backseat of Bobby's car.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"So I just drink this," Dean held the vial in his hand. The sun had begun to set. "And that Basket Crazy will come for me?"

"Yeah," Bobby and Sam sat at the dining table and were watching the older Winchester as he stared at the green watery concoction in the tiny vial with a look of slight disgust. "Look Dean you volunteered. Nasty ritual or not."

"Don't remind me," Dean cringed as he swallowed the whole vial in one gulp. The spices burned his nose and he coughed like he had just swallowed the strongest whiskey and vodka combined. Not a good one either. "I guess now we just wait. The MO seems to be that she comes when her dinner is sleeping so if I'm gone in the morning, don't miss me too much."

"Very funny Dean," Sam rolled his eyes. "Just try and get some sleep before you have to go kill this big bad."

"Yeah," Dean waved him off and stripped off his shirt before flopping onto his bed. "Whatever bitch."

"I'm going back to my room," Bobby got up and walked over to the door. "See you two idjits, well one of you, in the morning."

Bobby left and both brothers got into comfortable clothing before settling in to their beds. Sleep came to Sam easily, but Dean couldn't find it for quite a few hours. He couldn't help, but wonder what he'd encounter when the ogre came for him, but he knew that it was up to him to get those children back even if the first step was falling asleep.

So he did.

**Reviews are appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

Four

Dean figured he had to be dreaming because when he awoke he saw the most frightening creature he didn't even know was in existence. He jumped up in bed and grabbed his knife under his pillow. He shot a glance over at Sam who was still deep in sleep and showed no signs of waking up. Thank God, Sam didn't need to see whatever this thing was. Dean's breaths came out ragged. He'd never dealt with this type of creature before and had no idea how to kill it need he have to.

"I understand that you are new to this town," this ugly looking troll stepped closer. "Do you wish to go somewhere amazing?"

"What do you mean?" Dean asked his voice came out shaky.

"It's a special place," the troll replied. "I can take you there?"

"I know you," Dean said. "You're Org aren't you?"

"I don't believe we've ever met." Org replied.

"My new friend Sarah showed me a picture she drew of you," Dean played along. "And my other new friend Sierra told me about Somewhere."

"Somewhere is my home," Org explained. "It's really a beautiful place. You should visit like your new friends."

"Alright then," Dean sealed the deal. There was no turning back now. He had to go. If it meant saving those children though, it was well worth the risk. "Let's go."

"Excellent," Org's voice bellowed. "Come now child."

Dean gave a confused look to the backside of Org, but then he remembered that he'd forced down the shop owner's concoction. It apparently worked because Org thought Dean was a small child. At least he based it on souls not appearance or the hunter never would have made the cut. Dean climbed out of bed and pulled on his boots quickly. He'd slept in his clothes. He grabbed his knife from under his pillow and the knife that the shop owner had given them from the side table and followed Org out of the motel room. He caught one last glimpse at a sleeping Sam and his worry deepened, but then he shut the door behind him and continued to follow the troll outside towards the woods.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

The air was hanging low and cold. Dean shivered from within his leather jacket, but continued the trek forward. He figured once he got inside Somewhere he'd be safe from the cold. Dense woods usually blocked out wind a bit better than open sidewalk.

"Your friends enjoy this place," Org said, shuffling along in front of Dean with his massive ogre feet. "So much, in fact, that they wished to stay awhile."

"Do you want me to stay awhile?" Dean asked.

"That depends on what she has planned," Org said. "You are different than most children I've brought here. What is your name?"

"My name is Dean." Dean replied.

"Dean," Org's voice was booming. "I like that name, Dean. Seems fitting for a strong young man when you grow up."

"You mean if I grow up." Dean let out a small chuckle. Part of him was worried that he would not make it back from the adventure this time.

"You will," Org nodded, giving Dean an assuring look. "Trust me. You will."

Dean footsteps were softer, swifter that Org's thundering feet. They continued on until they reached the edge of the woods. Dean stared and observed as Org walked over to the area that Miranda and the cops had found the stuffed dog. Dean had that very stuffed animal on the inside pocket of his jacket hoping he could use it for bait to lure Sierra back home. He put his hand on it. It was so soft and tiny just like a child's fingers. Dean swallowed hard and stopped running his fingers over the patchwork. He turned his attention back to Org and what the troll was doing.

"We enter here." Org pointed to the very spot where Sierra had disappeared. He motioned for Dean to come closer and the hunter complied. Org touched the air in front of him and it rippled. Dean's eyes went wide with wonder and he gingerly touched the air as well with the tips of his fingers. It indeed rippled and shimmered even in the dark. It was a portal just as Mike had absentmindedly suggested earlier when the Winchesters had first met with him. Dean's fingers disappeared after a moment and he jumped back.

"Do not be afraid," Org urged him to move forward. "It will not harm you Dean."

Dean's breath hitched and he touched the portal's opening again. This time his whole hand disappeared. Org grabbed his other one. Dean had expected cold and slimy and gross hands from the troll, but they were surprisingly warm and comforting. He could understand why children followed the troll into this land. He wasn't as scary as he appeared.

"Somehow," Dean spoke up. "I pictured you as ferocious."

"What's the fun in harming people," Org replied. "When you can make friends with them."

Org suddenly tugged at Dean's hand and looking behind them one last time at the little sleeping town and jumped through the portal into the unknown.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

The forest was thick and dark and Dean felt almost blind as he slowly made his way through it. Org had vanished leaving the hunter lost and alone. Dean had explored numerous mountains and forests before, but this one was different. It was blanketed in never-ending darkness in all directions. Dean blinked, desperately trying to adjust his eyes to the night.

"_Follow the path," _Org's voice was more soothing this time. It was detached from his body though and echoing like the wind through the woods. "_It will take you there."_

Dean tried to assess where the troll had gone, but before he could think too deeply about it he saw a small light. They were mushrooms and they were glowing blue like a glow stick. They were beautiful in an eerie way. Dean stepped closer to the first one, intrigued. He bent down and touched underneath of the head of it and gently inspected it before yet another one lit up. Dean gasped when more started to light up before him and illuminated a small path. Dean assumed this was the path Org had been talking about. He got to his feet and started to follow the light-up fungi. Eventually as he went their light begun to die behind him and he felt this small twinge of sadness and he didn't know why. They were just mushrooms, but it was like he'd witnessed something magical that no one ever would again after he killed The Basket Woman. He felt like he'd just cheated thousands of kids, but then again he was also cheating their early death by doing this hunt. Dean finally turned his gaze away from the mushrooms behind him and continued on until he started to see light and not from the mushrooms.

When Dean reached the edge of the darkened woods he came upon a clearing where the sun was shining brilliantly and it almost blinded him at first. He didn't know what to think. There was an expanse of lush green grass that spread from in front of him to far left and right and out to the other edge of the forest. There was a small divot in the ground to his right that water could easily collect in when it rained or if it rained. Dean didn't know how this placed worked. Right now though, it was bone dry.

There was a group of leaves hanging from a tree across the way that looked like the shape of a fat woman dancing. Dean could make out the arms and the legs and even the head and it was as if it could actually dance right off of the tree branch and land right in front of him. The wind interrupted his thoughts and roared through the trees like a lion. Dean closed his eyes as it whipped around him and then back upwards, he wasn't used to this level of quiet. Then again the leaves rustled abnormally loudly. It was like they were almost talking to Dean. He tried to think of an explanation, but before he could he saw a horse.

Yes, Dean saw a horse.

It had appeared out of nowhere. It was eating the grass nearby, pulling it up by the roots and swiftly chewing. It was pure white and its mane cascaded down its back and shoulders. Its eyes were a beautiful brown and full of life. It lifted its head and stared straight at Dean and he felt as though it was starting into his soul almost. The horse snorted and Dean came closer. He wanted to touch it. He didn't know why though, he'd never had interest in petting a horse before. Perhaps it was the childlike soul he bore right then for the hunt or it was the place he'd ended up, or it was the horse itself, but all Dean knew was that he had to feel it. As Dean came closer the horse became seemingly more aware of his presence. It stiffened its muscles and stared at him intently.

"It's ok sweetheart," Dean hadn't called anything but his car sweetheart, he didn't know where it came from. "I'm not gonna hurt yah."

Dean gently touched the mare's cheek and she whinnied and tossed her head. She stomped one of her back feet and then pushed her face back into Dean's palm. Dean grinned like a small child and continued to pet the horse. She tossed her head back and revealed something rather shocking. She had a horn growing out of her forehead. It almost glowed too.

"Unicorn," Dean said in disbelief and let out a small laugh. "Fricken unicorn, I can't believe it!"

The unicorn started to run off and suddenly two small children tore out of the woods and ran behind her. They ran right in front of Dean and his mind went back into hunter mode. His words caught in his throat when the two kids came to an abrupt halt at the edge of the woods and the unicorn vanished into thin air as it leapt over the small dry divot. Dean blinked and rubbed at his eyes in disbelief.

"That is what happens when chase her children," a smooth female voice rang out behind Dean and he shot around to see what it was. "She runs away."

"We just wanted to pet her," the kids whined, the little blonde boy pointed at Dean and gave him a dirty look. "He got to."

"Because he is quiet," the woman chuckled. "And you two are not."

Dean could hear his heart stammering in his chest. This woman was stunningly gorgeous. Her body was thin, but the right shape. She had fair skin and brilliant gleaming blonde hair that was long and ran down to her lower back. She wore maroon lipstick and a mid-length white dress and no shoes. Her toenails and fingernails were painted green. But what stood out the most to Dean was her eyes. They were golden like the sun and almost cat-like. She smiled at Dean and he found he couldn't speak.

"Now," she daintily said. "Go play elsewhere, why don't you try the woods?"

The two children laughed and took off in the direction that the woman pointed they go in. She sighed at their departure and Dean could see a hint of worry in her eyes, but it quickly faded when she looked back at Dean.

"Hello there," she said rather bubbly. "How are you?"

"Better now that you're here," Dean replied absentmindedly, but then cleared his throat. "I mean so that I'm not alone."

"Ah yes it can get rather lonely here," she nodded. "Especially since she came here."

"Oh don't bore him with that story sister dear," another voice was heard, but this time male. A young man about the same age as the young woman appeared next to her, sparkles surrounding him, and he smirked. He had the same blonde hair but it was shorter and shaggy, but his eyes were blue. He had a smile that could easily blind a man. He wore a white short sleeved shirt underneath a grassy green vest and tightly fitting brown pants. He also had on no shoes. His toenails weren't painted unlike the young woman, his sister. "I'm sure he's not the one."

"But daddy told us long ago," she replied to her brother. "That he'd come."

"Scuse me," Dean waved, breaking the two siblings from their debate and they turned their attention back to him. "But just who are you two and what do you mean I'm the one?"

"Oh forgive us," the young woman smiled and her brother continued to smirk as if it were the only thing he could do. "For being rude. My name is Lily and this is my brother Puck. We are the fairies of the forest."

"Wait," Dean pointed at the both of them and then gave a look of disbelief. "You two are..."

"Fairies yes," Lilly nodded. "Our family has lived here for many years."

"And you're Puck," Dean pointed to the male fairy. "As in Shakespeare's Puck?"

"Please," Puck waved his hand and rolled his eyes. "I was Puck before Shakespeare even existed. But 'tis true I was THE Puck from his plays. He ended up here somehow and he met me and I guess we got along great cuz bada boom he's got a play written and I'm in it!"

"This is far too weird," Dean threw his hands up into the air. "Far too—"

A distant roar was heard and this time it wasn't the leaves. It shook the whole area and Puck and Lily stared wide eyed in fear. Puck gritted his teeth and pulled a small knife from his belt, holding it in his hand and guarding his sister. Dean found that to be heroic considering he had a pretty good idea as to what they were dealing with. Dean put his hand on his knife too, but then the roar silenced and the earth went back to being sound. Puck tucked his knife back into his belt and helped his sister back to her feet as she'd been knocked down in the rumble.

"What was that?" Dean asked, as if he didn't know already.

"That was her," Puck explained. "The evil ogress that has tortured our lands for years now. She is our worst enemy."

"She is horrid," Lily said. "She eats our children and the human ones Org brings here. He is on our side, but the children he brings are not strong enough to fight her."

"I hate to interrupt this," Puck said. "But if she has roared she has awoken for the moment. We need to get out here."

"Come to our land stranger," Lily said to Dean as Puck begun to lead the way. "That is where I sent those children. You will be safe there until the Ogress resumes her sleep."

Dean nodded and started to follow the two fairies. As he looked back at the clearing he noticed the leaves hadn't moved nor had the wind whistled at all since the rumbling of the earth. Dean swallowed a lump in his throat as he stepped into the woods. That alone made him uneasy of what was to come.

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	5. Chapter 5

Five

Dean was led through the forest and into the denser parts that reminded him of the mountains he'd hunted in with Sam when they'd gone after that Wendigo after their dad had died. It was an uneasy feeling, but no unbearable. Dean could handle fighting the monsters of his past, but fighting The Basket Woman was going to prove to be difficult. The fairies he was now following into the deeper depths of Somewhere only referred to her as an ogress. He doubted that they even knew the reality of what they were dealing with. Despite all of that Dean was having a harder time believing the fact that he was being led off somewhere by fairies. He didn't even know they existed. Also he'd had it in his head that they were a hell of a lot smaller.

"We are," Puck turned around with a smile on his face. His sister, Lily, walked ahead of both of them looking around and smiling at everything. "Well we can be smaller if we so desire. We can change size and shape anytime we need to and yes we can read minds, but only male fairies can do that."

"So your sister doesn't know what I'm thinking or you," Dean asked for personal clarification. "But you do."

"Exactly," Puck nodded. "So don't go thinking anything nasty about her and I won't have to mess with you ok pretty boy?"

"Speak for yourself," Dean replied with a huff. "You're prettier than me any day."

"That's the way we're going to keep it." Puck hopped over a log that Dean carefully stepped over and got just a bit ahead of the hunter. Dean decided that Puck had some nerve saying that to him when he was here to save all of their asses and the children's, but then again it was his sister that Dean couldn't help but stare at so he understand where the fairy was coming from at the same time. He was in no trying to cross his boundaries here, but at the same time he needed as many vital sources of information and allies that he could get.

"We're almost there." Lily spoke up. "Be sure to watch out for playing children and tricky fae."

"None of which are as tricky as me." Puck's smile gleamed with mischief and Dean swallowed hard.

Dean looked above and saw a rather higher swing attached to two trees and on the swing was an elf like creature rocking and back forth. Puck and Lily passed underneath him as though he wasn't even there, but Dean stopped for a moment and looked up at him. The elf like creature smiled and waved at Dean before continuing to stare off into the distance and swing. Lily giggled and motioned for Dean to keep following her and her brother. Dean, with a parting glance, looked back the elf and continued walking forward. Eventually they reached a real path made of sand and pine. Tiny rocks lined the edges of it and soft giggling could be heard all around. Dean anxiously looked around expecting to step on something alive or worse a smaller fairy that hadn't become full sized yet. Dean couldn't help but stare in amazement though at what was happening around him.

Tiny fairies were fluttering about here and there and throughout the air. Even the air itself was different. Dean closed his eyes and sniffed and it smelled like peaches and flowers. It was also lighter. It was a delightful combination. He reopened his eyes and stepped forward; following the footsteps the two siblings had left in the sand. He saw that the flower opened up as he passed and dipped a bit as if they were bowing and then closed back up. There were even a few tiny fairies that passed right in front of Dean's nose and waved at him before making circles with their bodies in the air and flying off. Dean waved back and broke into a small smile.

Once they reached the center of the forest Dean came upon the most incredible sight he'd ever laid on eyes on. It was a giant tree, bigger than a redwood tree in California even and its branches stretched out the length of American football fields. All of the branches were thick and healthy and attached to each of them were small wooden tree houses. Some of them were lit up on the inside with some of kind of white fairy light and a few others were dark and unoccupied. There was also white rope hammocks that hung from branch to sturdy branch and in some of those were sleeping fairies. Dean swallowed hard and hoped if he was given a place to sleep for the night here that it wasn't one of those or it was a tree house closer to the base of the tree. He couldn't stand the thought of being up that high without much protection from falling.

In the center of the tree was an opening that was taller than a skyscraper and was clearly carved by dainty hands because it was done perfectly. Dean looked up and around him once again as they entered the carved opening and he felt smaller than an ant under a magnifying glass.

"Geez human," Puck rolled his eyes. "You think everything is amazing."

"We have nothing like this in our world," Dean explained. "So yeah I'm just a bit amazed."

"Of course," Puck mumbled something. "The King will want to meet you forthwith. Come on now, he's in here."

Dean followed Puck and Lily into the center of the enormous tree and was greeted immediately with abuzz of energy and productivity. Fairies the size of the siblings were milling about and carrying baskets of the light up mushrooms and various other fruits and flowers. One female fairy was talking to a group of children who looked terrified and like they'd been crying. There were two boys and one girl and the girl looked awfully familiar. It was Sierra, Miranda's daughter.

Dean wanted to call out her name even though he knew she wouldn't know who he was, but he couldn't get the words to come out. He put his hand on the stuffed patchwork dog and debated tossing it to her, but he found he also couldn't get his arms to move in the right direction or start the action. The female fairy, before Dean could decide what to do she led the children away and outside of the tree and Dean sighed in defeat. He followed Puck and Lily a bit deeper before they reached a nicer part. This part had gold everywhere and Dean felt a sewer rat caught in the nicest part of New York.

"Welcome to the Fairy Kingdom," Lily smiled and stopped next to Dean as Puck kept walking until he reached the base of a set of stairs leading to two thrones. She watched Dean staring in pure awe and her face was a bit flustered when he smiled at her. "Do you like it, being a human?"

"It's amazing," Dean's words came out like honey. His usual gruffness was almost gone from his voice as if simply being around the fairies was changing it. "Thank you for, bringing me."

"Well I couldn't just let you be eaten could I?" she chuckled nervously.

"Father," Puck bowed to an older fairy evident by his white hair. The older fairy wore a robe made of the same material as Puck's vest, but it was a flowery purple and he had a silver crown atop his head with flowers sprigging from it. The symbol of royalty, Dean gulped then immediately knelt down and bowed his head. "We have done as you asked. We got the newest child, but there's something different about this one."

Puck took a step back and motioned for Dean to take one forward. Lily nudged Dean on the shoulder, her heart fluttering from the sudden contact with him, and Dean stood up shakily and walked up to the foot of the stairs. The white haired man, who Dean assumed was their King, was joined by a woman with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. She smiled at Dean then looked to the King. She wore a similar robe colored purple and a smaller flowery crown on top of her head. She turned her attention back to Dean as well. Dean looked around him, all of the fairies seemed greatly intrigued by him and what it looked like the King was about to declare.

"My brothers and sisters," Dean's head begun to spin, there was no possible way they were all related that closely was there? "The Great Prophecy has come to pass. My son Puck and my daughter Lily have brought us many fine children, but this one is held higher than all of them. He is our savior! He is the chosen one and he is your future King!"

"Wait," Dean's eyes went wide with fear. "What?!"

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	6. Chapter 6

Six

Sam sat at the motel room table and sipped his coffee, sighing occasionally. He'd woken up to Dean gone and a nervous feeling in his stomach. He knew Dean had a better advantage than the other children who had gone off, but he couldn't help but worry about his brother. Dean had just come back from Hell. He wasn't used to civilian life yet per se. Sam didn't mean to treat Dean like a soldier back from war, but in a way he was. He'd get this look in his eyes sometimes and Sam couldn't tell if Dean was confusing reality with the past again.

"So," Bobby walked into the room, a greasy bag in his hand filled with some breakfast creation from the diner down the road. He plopped down on the chair across from Sam and dug out the food from the bag. He threw Sam a ham and cheese breakfast burrito and the older hunter pulled out plain wheat toast and butter for himself. "Dean actually went."

"I guess so," Sam un-wrapped the burrito and dug in. He chewed and then swallowed. "I woke up to an empty bed next to me and the knife missing."

"Very poetic," Bobby laughed in a way that Sam heard air escape from his nose only. "You make it sound like Dean was your one night stand. You're mourning like that too. Your brother's gonna be fine."

"You're just saying that," Sam replied. "I hate to call you out Bobby, but you are. You want Dean to be okay, but what do we do if he's not? Which one of us will go in there after him? I doubt too many of us can without drawing too much attention. All I know is if we don't get everyone back soon it's gonna be worse than Bloody Sunday."

"We play it by ear," Bobby explained. "It's Monday now. If Dean's not back by the end of Thursday we'll go in after him. What we won't do is we will not assume the worst. Why I'm sure your brother's ganking that bitch right about now."

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"No," Dean stood, trying to explain why he was really there, but the shouts were too deafening for anyone to hear him. "You don't understand I'm not here to—"

"Oh," Lily stood next to her brother at this point and her face flushed red at the thought of Dean being the fairies future king. She hadn't realized the importance of him until now. Beside her, her brother Puck simply rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Of course," Puck muttered. "We had to find the damn prodigal son."

"Child," the fairy king stood from his throne and came closer to Dean. Dean was unsure of whether or not he should continue to bow or not. "Your soul does not radiate as much youth as you wish it would. Methinks you have come here not by accident and I do hope you do not have any ill intentions?"

"No," Dean swallowed past the nervous lump forming in his throat. "The exact opposite actually, I'm coming from this little town called Newburg. Human kids have been going missing there for years now, many years. Now that I know where they're going and why I've come to take them back home."

"By defeating the ogress I hope?" The king inquired.

"Well yeah," Dean shrugged. "That was kind of my goal here."

"Your goal," the king reiterated. "Besides being our future king of course?"

"Dude," Dean laughed. "You've got the wrong guy. Look I can't be your king ok? I've got a job to do."

Silence had befallen the fairy kingdom after Dean said that. He felt all of their eyes on him and his heart begun to beat faster. He had told the truth, had he not? He wasn't there to lead a bunch of winged sprites. He was in Somewhere to kill that basket bitch and rescue those kids. But as he looked around him and he saw the disappointed and distraught faces of all of the fairies he felt guilty. He looked back at Puck and Lily. Puck was looking about ready to kill him and Lily gave him a look like he'd offended the Queen of England on her birthday. Dean gulped and turned back to the king and queen who looked as though they were expecting a proper answer and hoping what he'd said was a joke. Dean hung his head for a moment before sighing loudly and then breaking into a big forced grin.

"You do know I'm just kidding right," Dean chuckled nervously, he felt bad for even doing this. "Just a joke Mr...King sir. Of course I'm here for the prophecy! Pssh I've known about that since...I existed."

"Excellent," the king broke into a big smile, but it was aged and filled with glee. "My loyal subjects prepare a feast in our guest's honor! Make it as lavish and wonderful as possible! I expect all to attend!"

"Yes my lord!" the fairies collectively exclaimed, which honestly Dean found to be a bit creepy and dispersed just as he had ordered. The queen gave Dean a smile and a nod before walking behind a curtain behind the thrones and disappearing into the unknown. The king gave one last look at Dean before turning away himself.

"Lily," he ordered. "Puck. Please show Dean to his room."

"Yes father," Lily bowed her head and the king walked behind the curtain as well, following his wife. "Come now Dean, I will take you to your quarters."

Dean smiled goofily from nerves and raging thoughts about what he'd just done and nodded at her. He walked in the direction of the little cabins on the trees. Lily smiled and followed him from behind until Puck grabbed her by the arm, abruptly yanking her towards him.

"If he tries anything," Puck hissed. "I mean anything on you..."

"Would you relax," Lily jerked her arm away from him and glared. "I'm going to be fine. Dean is a gentleman."

"Yeah," Puck muttered. "Sure..."

Lily rolled her eyes and ran up to Dean like a puppy detached from its master. Puck sneered, secretly wishing he had power over elements like some of the other warrior fairies. If he did he'd surely make Dean's hair catch on fire then douse him with water from the Arctic. He didn't like him. Not one bit. He turned his head to look back at the thrones sitting besides one another like pillars of strength. They were the unbreakable symbol of his people. Their loyalty, their trust, and everything to them. Puck didn't feel as though a human should be sitting there and taking over all of that.

"Take my rightful throne will you Dean," Puck said to himself. "Fine. But I'll be watching you. You can make sure of that."

Puck turned his attention back to his sister and Dean walking off in the distance and how close they were to each other for his comfort. He then begun to walk off to his room to change clothes for the feast.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Dean, after getting over the initial moaning and groaning about heights, liked his room at the fairy kingdom. It was small and quaint, but had a homely feeling to it. There was a four poster double bed with a green comforter and matching pillowcases and drapery. The curtains on the window were purple and printed with stags holding their heads high like warriors. There was a dresser and mirror combo across from the bed and an old wooden bookcase filled to the brim with yellowing pages upon pages in a language Dean could not read or understand. There was a small bathroom around the corner on the left side of the little house.

"Do you like it?" Lily asked.

"Dude," Dean whistled upon entering. "Nice digs."

"Thank you," Lily entered too, shutting the door behind them. "Father ensures that every house is fit for royalty even though they are not. If there is anything you require I assure you father can make it happen."

"I suppose I should change," Dean replied. "What with your daddy's little feast and all that tonight?"

"There are clothes already laid out for you on the bed," Lily explained. "Fairies take great responsibility in their guest's wellbeing. But I suppose you've already figured that out."

"Yeah," Dean smiled at her. "But thanks for the memo princess."

"Anytime Dean." Lily nodded.

Dean looked down at the clothes on the bed. They were simple. The shirt was made of earthy fibers and was white. It was a button down and had buttons with smooth blue stones on them. The pants were a bit on the tighter side, but not enough so that Dean felt like a girl or the newest cast member of the Nutcracker. They were dark green like grass, but lacked pockets which unsettled Dean because he didn't want to set down the knife the shop owner had given him for a mere moment, but he could easily remedy that. There were a pair of black flat shoes at the foot of the bed and Dean was thankful that he wouldn't have to go barefoot through the whole thing.

Dean took off his shirt forgetting that Lily was still with him and threw it aside on the bed. Lily watched as Dean pulled the other shirt over his head. Her breath had hitched a bit when she caught sight of what she considered to be the beauty of Dean's body. He was chiseled there was doubt in her mind about that. The other fairies were thin and some lanky like her brother, rarely did any fairy but the warriors bulk up like Dean the human. She felt this warmth spread from her head to her toes and she swallowed hard before quickly composing herself and clearing her throat. Dean unbuckled his belt before looking over.

"Do yah mind?" Dean asked.

"No," she said, still kind of in a daze. "Oh! Yes, I will...I will leave."

Lily quickly exited to the bathroom where Dean was safely out of view. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and asked herself silently what had happened. She couldn't believe the composure she'd lost in front of Dean and how she'd had to force herself to leave his sight. She'd never felt this way about any other fae in the kingdom. Why was Dean, a mere human, making her feel this way?

"I'm done," Dean called out to her and she returned. Dean was inspecting himself in the other mirror and grimacing. "Although I feel like I just dropped head first into a Pirate's of the Caribbean movie."

"I do not know what that is," Lily replied. "But I believe you look quite nice. Handsome even."

"Oh," Dean felt his heart beat a bit faster. "Uh thanks I guess."

"You are welcome," Lily smiled. "Now most of the fairies even the men will be wearing makeup of some kind. It is tradition.

"Oh no way," Dean exclaimed. "Look girly, I can deal with the frilly dress, but there is no way I can cake all that on my face and still feel manly!"

"Very well then," Lily sighed for she would have loved to see him in her kingdom's full attire. "Since you are a guest I highly doubt father will pitch a fit."

"Good," Dean let out a sigh of relief. "So when does this dinner thing start cuz honestly I'm kind of starving?"

"Half an hour," Lily replied. "I hate to leave but I really must go now Dean, to get ready. I shall see you at the feast."

Lily rushed out and Dean chuckled. She certainly was a character that much he did know about this place. He also knew that he was royally, no pun intended, screwed. He walked over to the window in the little house and peered out of it. Down below he saw fairies frantically preparing the grounds for an elaborate meal and the reality of it all was beginning to hit Dean. He'd agreed to a job he couldn't fulfill. He couldn't be a king, much less the king of some magical fantasy Dungeons and Dragons style land. He had a real job to do and he couldn't just let that go, but something else dwelled in him. A place that was welcoming him and allowing him to stay and rest awhile. He'd longed for that his whole life. If he weighed all of his options this one was honestly the most enjoyable.

All Dean knew was that he was expected downstairs in half an hour, he was dressed in a monkey suit, Puck had been giving him a death glare since they'd met, and somewhere out there in Somewhere there was a hungry ogress just waiting for her next meal.

**Reviews are appreciated and welcomed! I'd love to hear your feedback guys! :)**

**More to come soon! Any predictions on how this will all go down?**


	7. Chapter 7

Seven

The grounds of the fairy kingdom were turned into the beginnings of a lavish and wild party by the time Dean descended upon them from his room on the tree. Dean still felt overdressed, but that was just him. He wasn't used to wearing such nice clothes, but in a way it was nice. The shoes felt strange on his feet. They weren't too tight, but they were definitely snug. Dean adjusted the vest that went over his undershirt and found that there was a pocket on the inside. He tucked the dagger that the shop owner had given him into said pocket and made sure it was out of view. The last thing he needed was to startle any unsuspecting fairies and make them his enemy. Dean took one last look at the weapon and his head shot up when he heard a voice.

"I see that you're ready to join us Mr. Dean," a younger fairy girl approached him. "Right this way. The royal family is expecting you."

Dean highly doubted that included the brother of said royal family, but he didn't voice his suspicions aloud. He simply nodded and followed the fairy to the center of the festivities. When Dean came up to the center of the courtyard he couldn't help but stare at everyone and everything. There were ten long tables covered with white tablecloths with at least fifty wooden chairs in a place at them. At another long table there was a colorful array of food ranging from various meats and breads to berries and vegetables. There were champagne flutes full of various colored liquids that Dean felt as though he shouldn't drink. They'd probably turn him into a frog knowing fairies. Twinkling lights hung from tree branches and moved back and forth in the warm breeze. A small band was in the corner with instruments Dean had never seen before in his life, kick starting a group in the middle into laughter and dance. Dean chuckled and cracked a small smile at them.

"Well," Puck sat in the corner on a root that sufficed for the perfect seat. He was donning his outfit of choice. It looked quite similar to Dean's although his was all black minus a white undershirt and he wore the traditional makeup of the fairies. Eyeliner lined the underside of his eyes and made them pop against the darkness. "Looks like the man of the hour showed up after all, excellent."

He looked over at the fairy next to him who was giggling like a schoolgirl and sipping a blue juice from a champagne flute. Puck elbowed him in the side and he immediately shot up.

"Pay attention imbecile," Puck instructed. "I need you to keep an eye on my sister and our friend Dean. Make sure things don't get out of hand."

"But I am having so much fun boss," the half drunken fairy groaned and let out a small burp. "C'mon lighten up. Enjoy the party."

"I will not enjoy the party you bumbling imbecile," Puck grabbed his henchman by the collar and dragged him towards his face. "Not while my throne is at stake. So go, watch him carefully for I fear any trick he might play."

The drunken fairy was thrust to the ground floor, his drink with him, spilling into the dirt and the dirt absorbing it like it was its last drink. The drunken fairy's white collared shirt was stained with blue liquid and his glass lay a few feet from his hand.

"You know how naïve my sister can be," Puck smirked and reveled in his plan. "I will not make the same mistakes as she did. Go then, follow them, but not too closely. We don't want to draw suspicion now do we?"

"No my liege," the drunken fairy sobered up just enough to know to obey. He jumped to his feet and straightened his dress shirt. He tucked his vest back onto his body. He stopped only when Puck slid a dagger into his palm and looked around as if searching for wandering eyes before finally speaking to him.

"In case things get out of hand." Puck nodded with a sly smile and the drunken fairy swallowed hard before nodding himself and tucking the dagger into a hilt on his belt under his shirt. He bowed his head to Puck and started off into the crowd like a shadow passing through. Their little exchange had been unnoticed by everyone.

"Excellent." Puck said with a maniacal glint in his eye as he settled against the stone pillar that held up the half wall around the dance floor.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Dean felt like he was in a movie. Not a cheesy one either, but the cheesiest of all cheesy ones. Somehow though, he lacked a sense of caring. Fae danced all around him. They were yelling out happy exaltations and he'd been handed numerous drinks throughout the time he'd been there. He currently was nursing a pink one which ultimately the results of drinking it scared him immensely, but he continued to. He had nothing else to do and Dean Winchester was helpless as to joining in the fun. His mind wasn't wired for much fun. What he saw next though, it made him stop in his tracks.

She was beautifully dressed, Lily was. She moved with pure grace and her long blonde hair billowed down her back like the most perfect waterfall Dean could dream up. Her pale skin gleamed like the moon above in the night sky and her eyes popped from behind her simple, but effective makeup. The dress she wore was something from a fairy tale. It was pure white and just plain simple with long flowing sleeves and it covered her toes and dragged behind her as she walked. It was simple like she was, yet she looked stunning once again. More stunning than the moment Dean and she had met. The fairy had drawn exquisite wing-like designs jutting away from her eyes with pale brown makeup. She wore a silver crown adorned with precious gems on it atop her head. Her parents' subjects fawned over her like she was a dainty flower in a meadow as she approached the dance floor. Dean was entranced. He mouth hung slightly open and he found a loss of breath was imminent.

"She is a beauty," a gravelly voice spoke up from beside him and Dean turned his gaze to the creature to his right. "Isn't she?"

"Yes," Dean's voice was soft like the breeze. They could've been one entity in that moment. Org stood beside him; he too was nursing a glass of the strange colored liquid that reminded Dean of Kool-Aid. "Yes she is."

"Enchanting is the princess," Org recited. "No such rose could compare. All who fall prey to her beauty must also fall into her heart."

"Poetic." Dean chuckled.

"I've got to have something going for myself," Org took a drink. "Can't just pretend to be loyal to an old hag my whole life can I?"

"I guess not." Dean replied, still eyeing the princess as she milled about, bowing at the other fae and greeting each and every one of them with a big smile.

"You give her so much hope," Org leaned over towards Dean's ear. "For her salvation from a mundane existence and all she's ever known. You're new. You're not of her kind. But if you were to tell her why you're really here then I fear it shall break her fragile heart."

Dean looked back at her in all of her beauty and she caught his gaze. Her smile widened and she waved at him before heading his way. Org sighed and Dean gulped. When she was before them she bowed and they returned the gesture.

"So glad you could make it Org," Lily smiled at him and then turned to Dean who was at a loss for words again. "And you Dean, I feared you weren't going to join us."

"Well," Dean tried to be as confident as possible. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

"Would you care to join me in a dance of my people?" Lily asked.

"I don't dance," Dean threw up his hands and Lily looked slightly disappointed. "But for you sweetheart, I think I'll make an exception."

"Splendid," Lily laughed excitedly. "And you Org won't you join us as well?"

"I'm afraid not my dear," the troll smiled and chuckled as he held up a hand to decline. "I'd much rather watch the excitement."

"Alright then," Lily nodded and held her hand out for Dean to take. He did. "Come on Dean!"

Dean was dragged away into the crowd by Lily without a glance back at his troll companion and Org sighed again this time more loudly.

"Heed my warning Dean," Org said to absent ears. "She is not ready to be broken beyond mending yet."

He took a new glass of green liquid this time and guzzled it.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

The band struck up a fanciful tune that bobbed up and down with the fae's feet and their spirits. Dean was completely lost, but managed to make his way over to the lineup of male dancers across from the female ones. The females curtseyed and the males bowed to their partners. Dean found he was in between a rather drunken fairy, a henchman of Puck unknown to the hunter, and Puck himself to his right. Puck was dancing with a rather petite brunette who seemed to be eyeing him hungrily.

"Be careful with my sister," Puck warned Dean. "And keep your damn human hands where I can see them."

Before Dean had a chance to respond the dance commenced and he followed the steps of the dancers around him. It was simple. Most of the moves were bouncing on one's toes and twirling with their female partner in a circle then repeating in the other direction. His feet felt like clouds and he found that he was dancing as fluidly as the others were. He found also that he couldn't keep his eyes off of Lily no matter how hard he tried and she too it seemed couldn't keep her eyes off of him. She paused as did all of the other dancers and they bowed to one another again before she took Dean's hand and spun into his arms. He dipped her and she smiled up at him. She looked like a pure white angel. Puck grumbled under his breath and glared at them. He pointed his finger at the both of them and shot a blast of magic at Dean's arm causing him to almost drop her. Not that he wanted to bring bodily harm to his sister, but he wanted Dean to get the message.

Dean caught her just in time, but it broke their dreamy stares. Puck smirked and turned back to his dance partner. She giggled at him and they continued to sway back and forth.

"Are you alright?" Dean asked, his hand strongly lifting her up from the ground.

"Yes," Lily shot a look that could kill to her brother to which he returned it. "I'm fine."

"Good," Dean and she started dancing again. His smile returned. "I don't need harm to come to the princess now, especially in my arms."

Dean laughed and she found she was giggling too.

"Yes I suppose that would not be good," Lily replied. The song slowed and most of the dancers dispersed besides them. "You were lying. You're quite the dancer."

"I never said I couldn't dance," Dean held her close. It was a slow song. "I just said I didn't."

"Then how do you practice?" Lily asked as they spun in a circle.

"Natural talent sweetheart," Dean winked. "As is everything else about me."

"You are by far the strangest human I have ever met Dean Winchester." Lily smiled and let his body guide hers as they spun slowly in a circle. It was as though the whole world around them had stopped.

"S'at a good thing or a bad thing?" Dean asked as the song neared its end. They had pulled dangerously close to one another. Their lips were inches from each other's.

"You know," Lily whispered. "I don't think I've decided yet."

The song ended and the two of them stopped in the center of the dance floor, still inches from one another. Dean's eyes could only see hers and she could only see his. All else was lost to them. Her heart pounded. His only fluttered. She flustered badly and tore away from him for a moment. Tilting her head so that she could compose herself before turning back to him.

"Do you want to get out of here?" She asked.

"Sure." Dean replied with a smile.

She took his hand and they ran off and out of the party. Puck's careful eyes following them into the woods nearby.

**Reviews are appreciated!**

**Wow so I don't recommend typing drunk which is what I've done with this chapter. Thank you spell check so that my readers can't tell although I've admitted it to them. Hope ya'll are enjoying thanksgiving break so far guys! More to come soon in this story!**


	8. Chapter 8

Eight

The forest around the fairy party grounds was dark, but enchanting and comforting in a way. It was nothing like what Dean had imagined though. It was as though it took on a new life at night. The trees were dormant and their whispers were silenced by slumber. The moon shone brightly through the treetops that covered the ground below like a canopy over a bed. There was a new energy that was more relaxed than that back at the dance floor and Dean felt instantly at peace. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath in. His exhale was the loudest sound around and Dean felt like a wolf creeping through a silent meadow of sleeping sheep. He was afraid to wake any creatures that lie around him. He worried a little less when he heard a stick crack under Lily's foot.

"I take it you haven't taken it upon yourself to explore yet," Lily ducked under a limb with hanging leaves surrounding it. She lifted it up so that Dean could follow and he caught a waft of some exotic and beautiful smell that seemed to permeate from Lily. He could easily get drunk on a smell like that. "You're going to like this I think."

"I think I'll like anything here," Dean replied and followed her past the tree and further down the path. "It's nothing like my world."

"I'm sure yours is better." Lily sighed almost in defeat and she slowed down. Dean sensed they were reaching their desired location.

"Are you kidding me," Dean laughed. "You've got to be kidding me right? I mean my world is so fricken boring compared to this one."

"To you," Lily turned to look at him when she spoke. Her eyes were filled with this wanderlust that Dean couldn't even describe in words. "But to me. It's my biggest dream."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked, genuinely curious.

"I imagine you don't have your parents telling you what to do all the time," Lily touched the edge of a tree trunk and made her way around it. Dean eyed her carefully. He didn't need to get in trouble if the princess tripped and hurt herself. "Do you?"

"Well no," Dean debated telling her his parents' cruel fate, but he decided against it. "I don't actually."

"Exactly," Lily let out an exasperated sigh. "You're free. You're not tied to something you don't want to be."

If only she knew Dean thought.

"You know besides being fulfiller of a century old prophecy of your people and defeating an evil wench living in the "hundred acre wood" yeah I've got it made," Dean chuckled with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Not to mention my obligations back home."

"Figures," Lily gave him a playful smile. "And here I thought you could stay forever?"

"Well I'm here now aren't I?" Dean said. "That should count for something."

"Yes it does," Lily was about to say something else when she realized they were. She smiled. "We're here."

Dean looked around. Where she'd led him was an open area of the trees away from the edge of the forest where her people lived. All was calm and quiet. It wasn't an uneasy quiet though it was the perfect kind of quiet. Lily walked into the center of the grounds and stood as though she was waiting. She motioned for Dean to follow her and he reluctantly did. Once he walked over he realized she was surrounded by flowers, glowing flowers. They were all different colors like the drinks at the party and they were as fluorescent as the mushrooms that had guided his journey to Somewhere.

Dean felt a sudden rush of wind and he noticed that the flowers around Lily had begun to fly around them in a vortex that had begun as fast as a crescendo. Lily held out her arms and her hair flew in the breeze. She laughed loudly and it was full of pure happiness. Dean found that he too was laughing and uncovering his face. The flowers flapped their pedals like wings and if Dean could compare them to anything else he'd have called them the most unique little angels he'd ever laid eyes on.

"That was awesome," Lily giggled. "That was what I wanted you to see!"

"Well," Dean replied, laughing a little himself. "That was quite the experience that, may I repeat, you don't get back in my world."

"That was the five hundredth time I've seen that in my young life," Lily blew air out of her mouth and it moved her bangs away from her forehead. "It went from the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my entire life to awesome in a few short years."

"No kidding," Dean looked up at where the flowers had gone. They'd disappeared into the night sky and blended with the stars that he could see. When he looked back down he saw Lily had sat on a fallen log near a small lake and was staring down aimlessly at her reflection. Dean cocked his head slightly like Castiel did, imitating when his friend was confused and he joined her. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"Everything," she let out another deep sigh.

"That's vague." Dean sarcastically replied.

"I'm just worried is all," she stated. "I'm worried about the future and my people and I'm worried I'm going to lead the most mundane and boring existence known to mankind or fae. Don't you ever worry about that? Living an ordinary life."

"Never." Dean could honestly say that.

"I do," Lily stared at both of their reflections now. "Never leaving here, never meeting the one, and never sharing that first beautiful kiss."

Dean laughed.

"Well don't you ever think about it?" she asked him and Dean found that for the first time he couldn't answer her truthfully.

"I swear if you push me one more time I'm going to rip your wings out," two figures were crouched in the bushes. Puck and his friend. They were whispered and hissing in one another's ears to shut up and stay still. "Now be quiet."

"Well then quit pushing me back," his friend complained and rolled his eyes as Puck turned his focus back to his sister and Dean.

Dean tried to answer her, but he couldn't find the words. He hadn't thought much about it honestly. His line of work wasn't really made for forever with anyone. He'd had those apple pie life dreams as Sam always called them, but he'd never acted on them. Nor did he ever think he'd get the chance to. Lily lifted her head up and their faces were so close again. Her hair was cupping her face in a dreamy way and Dean looked at her in a different light for a moment. He felt her hand brush over his on the log and she was gazing at him like he was the most interesting thing in the world. Her eyes were blown and she had a haze about her. Their eyes were beginning to shut and they could almost feel each other's breath. Lily leaned ever closer and she was almost kissing Dean before she felt the log beneath them roll seemingly on its own plunging them both into the water before them. Lily screamed and Dean made a noise similar to a grunt and they both fell into the depths before swimming back up and sputtering water out from between their lips. All while Puck snickered in the bushes.

"You ok?" Dean asked. "Here c'mon let's get back to solid ground."

"Yeah," Lily coughed a bit of water up. "I'm fine."

The annoyance in her voice was evident and Puck heard it loud and clear. His mission was accomplished thus far. But if he knew his sister he knew that she also wasn't one to give up so easily.

"Son of a bitch," Dean typically would refrain from using profanity in front of royalty, but in that moment it seemed appropriate. "That's cold! Who or what did that? At this point I'm thoroughly convinced that the log could've thrown us off itself."

"I'm sure it was a fluke," Lily was determined to confront her brother later. She knew this was his doing. "Let's just get out of here before something else happens."

Dean nodded in agreement and the pair begun to trek back to the dance floor leaving Puck smirking in satisfaction in the bushes.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Lily undressed when she got to her room and into warmer nightclothes. She cursed her brother under her breath and wore a look of general annoyance and anger on her face. She snatched up a towel from her dresser and slammed the drawer shut. She trudged over to the doorway and through it before accidentally running into the subject of her frustration.

"It had to be done." Puck stated.

"Why can't you just stay in your own business and I'll stay in mine," she glared at her brother looking up at him with disdain. "Is that so hard for you?"

"He's no good for you," Puck said as Lily begun to stomp off. It made her stop in place and her shoulders stiffen. "I hope you know he's going to break your precious heart with his pretty boy charm. He's no prince charming."

"Neither are you," Lily shot back. "And you've gotten this far. Dean is the hero our father proclaims him to be. He's told me he is here to defeat our worst nightmare and quite frankly I trust his word. I just wish you had the sense to."

"The sense," Puck scoffed and let out a bout a sarcastic laughter. "Oh sister dear you are blindsided! Emotions are terrible things; they mess with you so badly. Take heed in the human's real intentions I don't think any of them have you in the long term picture."

"We shall see," Lily said as though she was giving Puck a deadly warning. "He has yet to fight or train. You'll see then that he is everything we could've hoped for."

Lily abruptly walked off leaving Puck alone in the corridor of their parent's palace inside the tree. Puck's makeup had worn off quite a bit and his belt hung lopsided on his hips after dancing. Puck watched his sister depart into the nearby bathroom most likely to soak for awhile into the night and he turned away.

"Very well," he said to a no longer listening Lily. "Tomorrow we shall see if your pretty boy can truly dance."

He disappeared into the darkness that engulfed the hallway.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Dean nearly screamed when he felt the hands grabbing him and lifting him fast out of his bed at an ungodly hour in the morning. The sheets were still tangled around him and his limbs were flailing in attempt to assault his assailants. It was still dark in his room so he could not clearly make out who they were. Dean struggled against their grips and he arched his back in an attempt to get whoever they were to drop him but to no avail. Dean kicked and punched and wiggled until the blinding sun hit him and he hit the dirt face first. His assailants dispersed and Dean looked up to see the last face he wanted to.

"Rise and shine pretty boy," Puck stood before Dean with a sword strung through his belt and he tossed one by Dean's side. The blade shimmered into Dean's eyes and he groaned. "Time to see what you're really made of."

**Reviews are appreciated!**

**This chapter was typed sober! Yay me! Not that any of you care or probably needed to know that.**


	9. Chapter 9

Nine

Dean pushed himself up from the dirt and wiped off the knees of his jeans. The dirt was surprisingly moist even though there had been no recent onslaught of rain from the night before. Puck stood before Dean dressed to the brim in battle gear and this time instead of eye makeup he wore two horizontal stripes of black face paint on his cheeks. Dean noticed a lot of other fairies sporting the same face makeup and he hoped it was just for show and he wasn't about to be a human sacrifice for some hoity toity fairy God.

"The human has awoken," Puck announced to a number of other male fairies who were lurking in the area. "We unfortunately must abide by our rules. He is a guest for one night then after that he is one of us!"

Puck threw a sword to Dean. It was nothing like the dagger he had in his pocket that he was going to use to kill the Basket Woman whenever he was given the chance to finally leave this place and do so. The sword was pure silver and the hilt was black with unfamiliar symbols etched into it. Dean ran his fingers over the grooves and divots in the black metal. At the top of the hilt was a small silver wolf's head.

"Ironic isn't it?" Puck chuckled. "Seeing as though fairies hate dogs I don't know why our ancestors would wield swords with such a vile creature on the tip."

"To keep you on your toes I suppose." Dean smirked and Puck gave him a look.

"Very funny human," Puck replied sarcastically and he deadpanned. "I'm practically bleeding with laughter."

"I have a name you know." Dean said.

"I won't need to know it once you're the hell out of here." Puck hissed in Dean's ear before walking over towards his fellow fairies and joining their merry group. Puck's smile was sinister as he laughed with the others and Dean swallowed hard. He saw the pure size of some of these guys and he knew immediately he had a fight on his hands. They'd probably been training for years too.

"Dean," Lily approached him and took his arm. "My parents along with others are planning on watching this training session. Do the best you can and don't let them get you down. Most of them are as dumb as they look."

"I'll say." Dean snickered.

"This is not some play fight," Lily warned him. "They will kick you and beat you and it is all fair game. You will have to show that you know what you're doing. These guys have been training for years. My brother has too. Just show them what you're made of."

She smiled after patting Dean on his shoulder and walking back over to her throne next to her parents' and sitting down. She sighed and her mother rubbed the top of her hand in response.

"The human," Puck began to yell in an attempt to quiet the eager crowd and it worked they silenced as soon as he started talking. "He comes to us from a faraway land a land none of us have dared travel to! Nor have we been to find for that matter. No matter today my warriors and I will show him how real men fight! He will face each of us and we'll see just how well he does!"

Once the crowd was on the edge of their seats and Dean was thoroughly convinced they came to watch him be executed instead Puck smirked and raised his hands to the sky.

"Let the games begin!"

The crowd of fairies cheered and Puck faced his parents and gave them a smile. It was a smile his sister could see right through. She gave him a look of disapproval, but all Puck did was turn away and stroll back to his warriors. Dean licked his lips and ran his thumb over the bottom and duller part of the sword. He was contemplated his options. Most of these guys were probably lacking brains as Lily had mentioned, they were just brutes. Though Dean was no match for the brute squad physically maybe just maybe he could outwit them just enough to defeat them without too many bruises.

"First round," Puck announced. "Dean vs. Brokk!"

The first rather brutish fairy was about Sam's height and had the same muscle mass too. Dean had easily taken on his brother before, but that didn't mean he hadn't gotten hurt himself in the process. The fairy's hair was golden like Puck's but much longer. It went down to his shoulder blades. His eyes were pure green like the darkest blades of grass. He held a smaller sword than Dean's but by the looks of it he knew how to use it.

"I've never fought a human before." Brokk chuckled and lifted his sword, preparing to strike. Dean did the same. He laughed evilly before taking a swing at Dean which Dean quickly deflected and assumed a new position after.

"Well then," Dean swallowed hard again, he was slightly nervous. These guys meant business. "Let it be known this will be the last time you'll ever fight one."

Dean struck at the other fairy and the tips of their swords clanged. Metal on metal was all that was heard for a good solid twenty minutes before Dean spun halfway as he started backing away from his opposition. His heel slid in the dirt and he stumbled a bit earning another snicker from Puck and Dean shot him a glare. While he was distracted though the fairy brought the hilt of his sword down onto Dean's shoulder and slammed him down. Dean cried out in pain and lay in the dirt. Puck let out a louder laugh and looked among his friends for support. They patted him on the back as if to say "you were right Puck".

Dean felt nothing, but blinding white hot pain and he was seething with rage. How could he be so stupid and slip up like that? Letting Puck win? That was asinine of him. Dean gripped his badly bruised and probably slightly disfigured shoulder and hissed in agony.

"_Use your sword Dean," _Lily's voice penetrated through his mind. "_If you focus your energy on your sword it will reward you and you will win."_

Dean was about to lend a sarcastic reply and say he was working on that, but instead he took her words to heart. This was another world after all; maybe a little magic was worth using. Dean got up and tried to push the pain out of his mind and somehow he did.

"Let's go again." Dean said through clenched teeth. Puck seemed disappointed.

"Oh really," Puck said, muttering curses under his breath. "Fine. This time it's Dean vs. Sindri."

Sindri, another big muscled angel stepped forward sporting a similar look and sword.

_"What did they inbreed around here or something?" _Dean thought to himself.

Sindri charged immediately leaving Dean little time to react except to jump to the right and out of the way. Sindri stumbled but quickly regained his footing and spun around again to face Dean. He glared at the hunter. He lunged again and Dean deflected the blow. He and Dean sword fought for quite a bit before Dean won by sliding past him and coming up behind him, knocking him out with the hilt of his sword. Dean gave a content smirk when he knew Sindri was knocked out cold and he turned to Puck with confidence.

"Bring it."

Puck sent his best warriors out against Dean, but as Lily had instructed him he felt his sword and it guided him. He used it the way it should've been used from the beginning and that was why Brokk defeated him. Every time Dean fought now another fairy went down. He shed no blood and he gave none, but it was all the same result and Dean was always the victor. Puck was enraged. He stepped into the fighting arena.

"So the human can fight," Puck announced. "We've established that now I think! But c'mon he's no match for the best."

"Well then Puck," Dean spoke up and all eyes were on him. "Why don't you be a man and fight me yourself?"

Fairies gasped and others whispered. Puck's ego was being challenged and nobody ever challenged Puck. The results were usually disastrous. Puck glared and bared his teeth.

"Fine," he sneered. "I challenge you human and I assure you, you will regret this."

Puck unsheathed his own sword. It was different from the others. His blade was still silver, but the head on the tip of his sword's hilt was a snake. The symbol of trickery and sinister intentions. Dean's stomach churned at the thought of Somewhere's biggest trickster fighting him and he knew deep down that Puck most likely did not fight fair. Even now as he circled Dean the sun beamed down on them and his eyes seemed to play off of it and they were slits like a reptile. Puck smirked and lunged skillfully at Dean, actually catching the hunter off guard. Puck wasn't like the others. He used his brains when he fought not his brawn. That had Dean worried most of all. Not that Dean wasn't smart, but it was usually Sam who took care of the thinking between the two of them.

"Scared human?" Puck asked as they circled again.

"Not even close," Dean replied with more confidence than he had in him. "What about you?"

"I'm positively shaking in my boots." Puck stuck Dean's sword again and Dean carefully deflected both blows. Puck looked down at his sword and tossed it up before catching it again. It flipped completely halfway through the toss. Puck gripped the hilt in his left hand now instead of his right. He let out a loud exaltation before he and Dean went at it. Dean's sword clanked against his. The echo from the metal was almost deafening to his ears. Puck was putting up a hell of an impressive fight. He was certainly determined to win and that was exactly why Dean had to. He couldn't give the fairy anymore food for his overwhelmingly large ego.

Dean waited until Puck was distracted, which he had to admit wasn't easy and he slid in between the fairy's legs and ended up behind him. Puck, confused as ever, turned around and before he could react Dean kicked his feet out from underneath him so the fairy was on his knees and his sword fell beside him. Dean gladly kicked it away from him and held the blade of his sword to the fairy's neck. Sweat beaded on Puck's forehead as he waited for his fate, but Dean instead side stepped him, but kept the blade in place.

"Would you look at that," Dean announced. The crowd was in utter shock. "Not so strong without your sword are you? Ain't that a crying shame?"

The crowd lost it and they began chanting Dean's name and clapping and yelling for him. Puck glared in response and ground his teeth in fury. Dean laughed in victory and turned back to him, getting up in his face before he whispered.

"Oh and my name is Dean."

He kicked Puck to the ground, not hard at all, but enough so that he fell face first in the dirt and grunted. Dean went off to greet his fan club as they crowded around him and began to ask him one million questions a minute. Puck rubbed his back and clumsily got up from the ground. His mother and father were shaking Dean's hand and talking to him as well. Dean gave the king a big smile and the queen kissed his hand. Puck gave a look of pure anger and it grew as his sister stared right at him and gave him a knowing smirk. Puck limped over to his sword and picked it up. It felt heavy in his hand, but he gripped it so tightly that it cut into his palm even though it was the hilt. He bit his lip so hard that bled too. He jerked his head back to stare at the gawking group and then stormed off towards the tree palace. He disappeared unnoticed by all.

**Reviews appreciated!**

**Don't worry Sam and Bobby will come back soon I promise. **

**What do you guys think so far? Is Puck to be trusted? What does Lily feel for Dean? Dean for her?**

**More to come soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

Ten

The one thing Sam didn't feel was the eyes on him as he walked from the local drug store back to the motel.

The thing he expected the least was to be verbally assaulted the second he walked through the door by someone other than Bobby.

"You've been on this case for two days already not counting today," she glared at Sam. Bobby rolled his eyes behind her. "And yet you still haven't found my daughter. Care to explain why two of you are just sitting here while your third absent agent is off somewhere?"

Sam stopped in his tracks, caught off guard at first, and then he stared at Bobby for help.

"Don't look at me boy," Bobby shrugged. "She already tried to drill me. This one's on you to explain."

Sam could've predicted a dirty joke from Dean's mouth at what Bobby had said had the man been there. But truth was Bobby and Sam couldn't get in contact with Dean either. They'd tried to locate anywhere he could've possibly gone to, but they were at a loss as to where the portal was. Sam set down the aspirin he'd bought on the side table near his bed and then faced Miranda.

"Dean's tracking a lead right now," Sam said, it wasn't exactly a lie. "He didn't want to leave without telling you, but you know the way the FBI works."

"Don't bullshit me," Miranda raised her voice ever so slightly. "I can't reach him by phone either. He won't answer. He's probably not even doing his job right now."

Sam stayed silent.

"Fine," Miranda sighed. "I'm calling him now since you're not going to tell me."

Miranda dialed Dean's number for the fourteenth time. Sam swallowed hard when the phone started ringing from the bedside table drawer. Miranda looked confused at first, but then infuriated. She stomped over to the side table, dug out Dean's phone, and held it up to Sam and Bobby.

"Working on a lead huh?" she said.

"Miranda," Sam tried to reason with her. "We can explain."

"You'd better have a good explanation then."

Sam took a deep breath and against his better judgment he told Miranda everything. He explained what his brother, he, and Bobby really were. He explained what they were hunting. He explained where and why Dean had gone. He stopped after Miranda gave him a look of disbelief.

"You're crazy," Miranda scoffed. "All of you. Wherever your fake agent is you can tell him to shove it up his ass. I'll find my daughter myself if I have to. Don't think I won't report you if either of you ever talk to me again."

"Miranda," Sam exclaimed when the woman walked out the door, slamming it behind her. "Please just listen!"

"Sam don't," Bobby stood from the chair he'd been sitting in. "You'll make it worse. Right now we've gotta stay under the radar again and pray Dean will be back in two days or we go to him."

"As much as I hate to admit it," Sam sighed. "You're right."

Meanwhile Miranda stomped down the sidewalk, holding back tears as she stared at all of the wreaths on the doors. Some with ribbons, some without, and hers now sported a ribbon for town strength and pride even in the wake of tragedy. It was safe to say she wasn't proud in the least. Every bone in her body ached to hold her missing daughter. They ached for everyone to hold their child once again. She was so distracted in her hopeful thoughts that she didn't see her friend the Sheriff and ran into him.

"Mike," Miranda apologized. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Mike replied. "You look like you were deep in thought anyway."

"Just thinking about everything," Miranda looked around. "I feel as though we've been thrown into a silent war zone."

"I want them back too," Mike commented. "As badly as you do."

"It's been so long for you," Miranda sighed. "That damn agent lied to me and now he disappears and I doubt I'll ever see my daughter again."

"Agent Paul," Mike was confused. "What do you mean he lied to you?"

"He's gone," Miranda huffed and threw her scarf back around her shoulders. "And now I don't know if the kids will ever come back."

"Where did he go?"

"Somewhere," Miranda rolled her eyes. "Wherever those kids claim they went."

Miranda walked away from Mike fast and off down the sidewalk. Mike felt like he'd been sideswiped. He'd been trying for years to figure out where the kids went and here this new guy comes along and finds the place they went. Apparently he hadn't come back though. That made Mike worry. He had a thought though, if he talked to the two agents that Agent Paul had come to town with then maybe he could find the answer to the question that had been haunting his town for far too long. Mike debated going to the motel first, but then remembered he was pulling a double shift that night. He decided to go home instead and get some shut eye before his next round of work.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Dean awoke to cries and screams outside of his little guest house. He sprang up out of bed and immediately grabbed the dagger the old medicine man had given him and ran to the window to take a look. Luckily he'd fallen asleep in his clothes that evening after a long dinner with the king and queen of the fairies. Dean grabbed his shoes, slipped them on, and ran down the long hallway, down the twisting stairs and outside. Around him he saw destroyed homes on the ground, dead animals that had managed to be in the way of the evil and weeping mothers on their knees with their faces in their hands. Puck's army was walking; some were limping, back from the direction where the giant beast had gone.

Dean heard the Basket Woman's cry echo in the distance through the night and his blood turned cold.

Puck was gripping his sword and glaring in disgust at what had just occurred. His mother, father, and sister watched from afar and came closer only when he stopped in the courtyard.

"The foul she-beast has struck again," Puck announced. "She took three this time. Two of which were ours."

Dean knew the mischievous fairy was referring to children. He didn't want to even think if one of them was Sierra, Miranda's daughter, or not. Puck looked as though he'd gotten little sleep that night already without his stare that could give small children nightmares. His shoulders were tense and he wore almost no battle gear which led Dean to believe he too had rolled out of bed in time to pursue the Basket Woman, but not to stop her. Dean doubted they even knew exactly what they were dealing with. All he knew was that Lily was looking at him as if he should speak up and the king and the queen looked disheartened. They simply didn't know what to do anymore. Dean thought about what the king had said when he'd first arrived at the fairy kingdom in Somewhere. Someone was destined to be their hero. Since the first child had disappeared they'd been terrorized by this monster and as a community built on peace Dean could tell that was all they wanted once again. Whether Dean was willing to be nobility or not didn't matter anymore. He knew what he had to do.

"I know how to stop her," Dean yelled over the mass confusion and all eyes turned to him. "I know what she is too!"

"A beast is what she is," a male fairy exclaimed. "She's wrecked our kingdom for years and stolen our young!"

"You can't stop her," another fairy gave Dean a look. "No one can."

Dean slowly pulled out his dagger. The fairies gasped. It glimmered in the moonlight and the lighted mushrooms that adorned the ground. Dean held it high above his head and when he spoke he acknowledged everyone listening.

"This dagger was given to me by a man who knows of this creature," Dean explained. "He is from my world. He is a hunter like what I am. We specialize in these things. This dagger if I get close enough to stab the monster with it, it'll kill her."

"How do you know it's a her?" Sindri asked. "We barely kept up with it. There's no way you could know the gender?"

"I know because I know what creature she is," Dean replied. "She's called the Basket Woman and she's a creep. She eats kids. Don't worry though she's kind of stupid. Some of them get free. She's got to be stopped because the people in this town in my world? They're suffering. They think their kids are dead. Well I'm here to find them and I'm here to kill the Basket Woman."

"I cannot allow you to go off without the proper things," the fairy king said to Dean. "I insist you join the ranks of my warriors. You can teach them what to do in order to defeat her and there's safety in numbers. I won't allow you to go after her alone."

"Father," Puck spoke up. "I believe my warriors and I can handle this alone. We're perfectly capable."

"Puck please," Lily defended her father. "Father is right. Dean is a valuable asset to your team. You simply must get him on board."

"You heard the lady Puck," Dean stared at the fairy prince. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"I could lose my throne or my sanity because of you." Puck muttered to himself.

"Tonight we rest," the king ordered. "Tomorrow bright and early we train. If we're to fight her then we need all of the skills we can get."

Puck glared at Dean and turned away, ordering something at his men in fairy language and they all walked off in the opposite direction. Lily smiled at Dean and he gave her a fake smile back. He wasn't exactly thrilled about working with her brother who hated his guts, but if it was going to bring the children back then Dean could put the animosity beside and fight.

The queen and Lily walked off towards their chambers and Dean sheathed his dagger, looking around one last time at the damage, before he walked back to his guest house to get some sleep. It was going to be a long day when morning came.

**Reviews appreciated!**

**I have not abandoned this story I promise. Finals were rough and my muse has gravitated towards my Season Ten AU story, but I won't give up on this one I promise.**

**So? Dean and Puck are forced to work together? That's gonna turn out real well.**

**What does Mike want to talk to Sam and Bobby about?**

**More to come soon.**


	11. Chapter 11

Eleven

The early morning dew stuck to the golden flowers that lined the path from the tree houses as Dean made his way towards the training grounds of the fairies. The sun was just beginning to rise above the trees and his thoughts wandered to the Basket Woman's attack the night before. He'd heard the children's screams and if only he'd gotten out there sooner he might've been able to slay the bitch. The fairy King Oberon had made a valid point though, Dean had more safety in numbers and if he could somehow get the mischievous son of the King on his side he'd be golden. Dean knew that wasn't going to be easy, but the least he could do was try starting that day. He'd already proven to everyone else that he wasn't there to fight by putting Puck in his rightful place at the sword fighting arena, but Puck still seemed to be on his high horse. Dean was hoping today that he could knock the fairy off of it.

Horses quickly became the topic at hand when Dean approached the stables and was greeted by Sindri and a few other fairy warriors that would be joining in on the excursion. Puck pulled on his riding boots nearby and grimaced when Dean came into his view. He tightened the strap on his bow and arrow sheath and turned to see his sister by his side and smirking.

"Feeling a bit defeated there brother?" Lily asked in a playful voice.

"You know damn well how I feel," Puck replied harshly. "You expect me to learn anything from that bumbling idiot of a human?"

"He has a name you know..." Lily was a bit offended at her brother's words. She'd really grown to like Dean during his stay in her father's kingdom. More than she'd ever admit to anyone who asked.

"As if I care," Puck pulled on his fingerless riding gloves. "Anyway princess I'm surprised you aren't over there pep talking your boyfriend and conspiring against me?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Lily protested, but kept her voice low for her face had flushed red at the mention of Dean being anything more than a simple acquaintance to her and she didn't want said person to hear his name in their conversation.

"But you wish him to be," Puck grabbed his saddle and thrust it onto the back of a white horse with sparkling blue eyes. The horse whinnied and kicked up his front right hoof in recognition of his master. "I warn you sister dear. Humans are nothing but trouble. Trust in me that he will only break your heart in the end."

"I suppose that you also think you know everything do you not," Lily grabbed a saddle as well and threw it up onto the back of her brown horse named Nutty. She mounted him and grabbed the reins. "I also wish you to know that I am coming with you."

"Lily this is a highly dangerous time," Puck warned her. "You do not wish for me to tell father do you?"

"You won't," Lily smirked playfully at her brother and commanded for her horse to walk over towards the others. Puck rolled his eyes and mounted his horse named Moonbeam and caught up to his sister to address his warriors.

"We're going to the pass," Puck instructed. "I will not tolerate anyone who falls behind or slacks. Mount your horses gentlemen we're off."

"Dean does not have a horse." Sindri spoke up.

"Give him Argo," Puck instructed. "I'm sure he's the most fitting steed for the human."

Dean was suddenly handed the reins of a brown and white speckled horse that seemed to be a constant state of being ready to have a temper tantrum. The horse blew air out of its nose and stomped its front hoof. Dean gulped as the other warriors started off behind Puck. Lily waited for Dean though, smiling through his whole attempt to mount the horse and when he finally got on the look on his face.

"You've never ridden before have you?" she chuckled.

"No," Dean admitted. "I never thought I ever would."

"Just follow me," Lily instructed and gave her horse the command to walk. Nutty started to follow the other warriors and after a few moments of trying everything and then finally the same command Dean's horse started to move too and as he followed close behind Lily and they went into the woods.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Dean was sure he'd seen every beautiful piece to Somewhere until the group had gotten out of the woods and had started on a new path. This was another part of the woods that was less dense and was lined with shorter trees. Most of which were weeping willows. Small streams cut through the land and water poured over tiny stones everywhere it dipped creating mini waterfalls. Tiny fish with long flowing tails swam through the water of a rather large stream that was underneath a bridge the group crossed over. Dean and Lily paused a moment to look at them and Dean could spy his own reflection in the water almost like he was swimming down there with them. He smiled in response and Lily smiled at his reaction. Puck looked back from the front of the group and gave a look of disdain. He snapped his fingers, discreetly hidden by his waist, and one of the bigger fish responded to his command and jumped out of the water, hitting Dean in the face. Lily gasped and Dean sputtered and looked at the fish as it jumped past him and into the other side of the water. Dean rubbed his cheek where the fish had smacked him and Lily burst into laughter moments later causing Dean to as well. Puck rolled his eyes and kept going.

They went through another patch of trees that were different from the rest. These trees had faces and they could talk. They waved to Lily and Dean as the two went by on their horses and Puck muttered something under his breath from the front of the line. Dean was suddenly lifted off of Argo and was hanging by his ankle from a tree branch that resembled a hand almost. Dean struggled to get free and Lily simply laughed it off again. She motioned for the tree to pick her up too and the tree smiled and grabbed Lily by the waist, lifting her off of Nutty and swinging her through the air. Dean stared up at her and she gave a bright wide smile to him from above. Eventually the tree started to move both Dean and her back towards their horses and it set them down gently back on their saddles. Dean was just thankful to be upright again. Lily was still giggling and smiling at him and Puck was angry that his incantation had worn off so soon. He kept wordlessly leading the group towards their destination though.

The rest of the journey was like a far off dream. Dean saw mountains far beyond the valley they were walking their horses through. Will o' the wisps floated lazily around Dean and Lily's heads and Dean looked up into the clouds when a giant shadow passed over them. He gasped when he realized it was an enormous red dragon. It was beyond him how something that big hadn't taken out the Basket Woman already, but then again maybe that was why he was there. He didn't know about taking over a throne or anything, but maybe he'd been chosen for something big after all.

Puck dismounted in an empty grassy area near a large river that was fast moving and traveling in the direction of the mountains. There was one larger oak tree near the water and at its bank was a large area of rocky terrain. Puck's warriors dismounted as well as Lily and Dean followed suit. Puck's arrows clacked together in the sheath he kept them in as he walked over to the water's edge and unsheathed his sword with the snake head hilt and dipped it into the water. He muttered a few words in a language Dean didn't understand under his breath and then turned to face the group again.

"We train first," Puck commanded. "Then the human explains his way of killing this beast."

"Aye Puck!" his warriors said in unison. Dean swallowed hard when his eyes locked with Puck's icy cold stare. The fairy looked ready to spill blood at a moment's notice and Dean felt his stomach drop to his feet when he motioned for him to step forward towards him. Puck held up his sword and motioned for Dean to unsheathe his. The hunter did and immediately Puck began to fight him. Dean's blows were precise, but Puck's were well orchestrated. The two of them were a pretty even match. Two of Puck's other warriors were training as well near their fearless leader and Dean. Lily sat with Sindri under the oak tree. Sindri smoked a pipe, releasing the sweet smelling smoke into the air. Lily had grown up with the smell. It had always lingered on her older brother's clothes when he'd hugged her after training every day when she was a small child.

"Dean is impressive fighter," Sindri pointed out. "He's an even match for your brother."

"If only Puck would see it that way," Lily sighed and Sindri took another drag from the pipe. He blew the smoke out and manipulated the shape with his fairy magic to make it look like a running stallion. He blew on it and the stallion ran away up into the sky away from their sight. "He sees Dean only as a threat."

"Puck has always been protective and driven," Sindri explained. "He doesn't like threats to his place in your family's hierarchy."

"Dean is not a threat though," Lily defended her human friend. "He is going to help us, those children too."

"Puck doesn't see it that way." Sindri sighed. Lily could tell that he agreed with her in some regards, but he was going to stay loyal to his superior. Honestly she couldn't blame him, but at the same time she had hoped he was willing to give Dean a chance.

Dean was channeling his inner hunter in order to stay on his toes against Puck, mainly because he was slightly suspicious that the fairy was actually going to impale him. He had only fallen once and scraped up his hand. It was bleeding slightly, but Dean's adrenaline overpowered the stinging. Puck paused only a moment to catch his breath, but it wasn't a moment too soon.

The Basket Woman's fearful cry echoed through the valley and immediately Puck's warriors turned and gasped as she showed her ugly face and roared fiercely. Puck shot one last glare at Dean before sheathing his sword and quickly turning to his bow and arrows. Sindri hopped up and slid his sword into his hand. The other two warriors charged at her and Dean stood in place contemplating his move. He had less than a moment's notice to do so when a scream pierced the air and Lily was being lifted into the Basket Woman's iron grip. Puck, wide eyed and fearful, shot an arrow at the Basket Woman's cheek and it stuck in it causing her to shriek and turn to face him. He glared at her and screamed something in fairy language that Dean could decipher as some sort of profanity. He started off towards her and Dean ran after him. The Basket Woman was walking off towards the north side of the river with Lily crying out for help in her hand. Puck ran swiftly and Dean was about to follow even further when he was suddenly knocked in the face by an unknown force and he plummeted into the rushing water.

Dean felt the rushing torrents of river water drowning him, but he refused to go down like that. Dean fought the current and managed to get up once for air before he was dragged down again. He swam down first hoping to escape the majority of the river's torrent of water. His sword was dragging him down and it was heavy on his hip, but still he persevered. He finally broke free of the watery hand and sputtered and coughed as he crawled onto the bank. He coughed up a ton of water first before looking around. He saw Puck on his side on the ground, an arrow in his shoulder and he was shaking. The other two warriors lay dead nearby. Sindri was unconscious and all Dean saw to the left of him was the backside of the Basket Woman lumbering off towards her cave wherever it was. Lily was still in her hand. Dean laid his head down and his eyes closed. The water lapped at his ankles and it wasn't until a short time later he felt that he was being moved from where he lay.

**Reviews are appreciated!**

**So, Lily was taken! Will Puck change his ways and work with Dean to get her back?**

**Will they get her back?**

**More to come soon!**


	12. Chapter 12

Twelve

Dean woke up to a few beautiful fairy handmaidens staring at him and one was treating a minor injury he'd sustained scraping his arm on the rocks under the river water. On the bed next to him was Puck, who was just beginning to wake up and had a wrap around his shoulder from where the arrow had been pulled. The white wrap was starting to turn red from the blood he'd lost. Sindri was across from them, standing against the wall. He'd only suffered bruising and one cut running from his cheek to his chin where he'd fallen. He had his arms crossed and he was staring at his commander and Dean. Puck groaned as he sat up and immediately he pointed a finger at Dean and tried to practically jump him. The nurses stopped him though much to Dean's relief.

"This is your fault," Puck exclaimed. "You're the one who made her come along!"

"Well as I recall you also did nothing to stop her," Dean retaliated. He was getting sick of this. "So if we're blaming people here I blame you more than anyone else."

"You incorrigible simpleton," Puck yelled, staring daggers at Dean. Both of them were at a standstill since they'd both managed to stand from their beds. "Take that back!"

"I won't take back the truth," Dean replied. "You're the one who let her come with us and she got captured yah asshat!"

"That's it!" Puck growled and started towards Dean but Sindri intervened and stared Puck down.

"Puck," Sindri calmly said. "I have never spoken back to you in all my millennia of service to you. I have never defied you or deceived you. Now I am asking you to listen to me for once. You are behaving like a spoiled child and I want it to stop. Arguing with Dean will not bring your sister back. Acting with him will. Now Dean clearly has the weapon that will kill this beast of burden and you have the knowledge of these lands. Only by working together can you be successful in bringing the princess home and killing this Basket Woman."

"I refuse to work with the human." Puck replied adamantly.

"Listen buddy," Dean broke in front of Sindri. "I'm gonna set the record straight. I'm not after your damn crown. I don't want it. Quite frankly I don't give a damn. I came here because kids were being taken from the town I'm staying in and they were being taken here by that Basket bitch. I came here to stop her not argue with a little twat whose only goal I'm pretty sure since I got here was to eliminate me. Now while we sit around with our thumbs in our asses your sister could be getting prepped for cook time right about now so do you want to waste your breath and hers arguing with me or do you want to save her?"

"Fine." Puck muttered and grabbed his shirt from the nearby chair. He'd been stripped down to his under armor and socks. He reached for his boots next and tugged them on. He grabbed his sword and re-sheathed that too. He turned to face his only warrior left from the day's excursion. He'd been told of the others' demise and Puck felt a twinge of anger in response to their death being due to the Basket Woman. Dean walked out of the room first, grabbing his things along the way.

"I'm so glad you see it my way." Sindri smiled like he'd just let Puck in on the biggest secret in fairy history.

"Put a sock in it," Puck replied. "If you're wrong about him I swear..."

"What you'll kill me too?" Sindri chuckled. "Puck I thought you agreed long ago that your obsession for the crown wouldn't become just that, an obsession. You've let it consume you to the point that the man offering to help you return your captured sister has become a competitor to you."

"My father believes him to be the chosen one," Puck sighed. "I've just worked so hard for this and my father sees none of it."

"You heard Dean," Sindri said, grabbing his sword and sheathing it on his belt. "He doesn't want your title. He wants this to be over as much as the rest of us do."

Sindri left the room too, leaving Puck alone with his thoughts.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"We've given him ample time," Bobby said to Sam as the two locked and loaded. They were about to head out to find Dean. They'd given him a few days to come back and so far he hadn't. The natives were getting restless as Bobby had put it and they needed to get the kids back. "Now we gotta go rescue that idjit like usual."

"Hey be nice Bobby," Sam put his gun into the back of his pants. "He volunteered to go to never land to save the kiddos we're going because we have to."

"Yeah," Bobby threw his backpack over his shoulder and turned to look back at Sam. "Cuz he's an idjit."

Bobby swung open the door to the motel room and was beyond shocked to see who was standing there before them. Sam couldn't think of a single word to say either.

"I'm coming with you." Mike said to them as he stood with his pistol in hand.

**Reviews are appreciated!**

**Shorter chapter I know, but there's action coming up soon and secrets are going to be revealed.**


	13. Chapter 13

Thirteen

Sam and Bobby had spent a hell of a lot of time trying to convince Mike that he didn't want to go with them, but the police captain had insisted and eventually the two hunters had to let him come along. They had wasted enough time as it was and they needed to figure out a way to get to where Dean had. It wasn't like they could go get more ingredients from their informant. His shop was in the next town over and they just didn't have that kind of time. So that was how they found themselves wandering near the woods, trying to find some sign of a portal, but so far they weren't having much luck.

"Balls," Bobby cursed. "We don't have the time or the gas to get to the next town over to get another round of herbs."

"There has to be some other way." Sam sighed, he hated accepting defeat.

Mike suddenly broke away from the two of them, earning confused looks, and he marched over to where the stuffed rabbit had been found. He paused a moment and looked around a moment before he called out a name.

"Org," Mike yelled. "I know you're out there! I know we're not kids, but please we're here to rescue them..."

Sam and Bobby practically jumped out of their skins when the rather grotesque looking troll appeared nearby at the tree line. The air behind him rippled like tiny clear waves. He stared at Mike a moment before either of them spoke.

"It has been a long time hasn't it," Org said. "I'm surprised you haven't come before now?"

"It wasn't bad until now," Mike sighed. "None of them would've happened if it wasn't for me. I started this and I'm determined to finally finish it."

"One of your own is already headed that way," Org explained. "He's going towards the mountains. God speed to you all."

Org motioned to the rippling air and it opened sort of like a door. Mike waited for his companions to follow him. Sam swallowed hard and looked behind them at the town one more time before he made his way over to the portal and went through it. Bobby followed close behind him and then with one final look to the troll Mike was the last to enter and the portal closed behind all of them. When they reached the other side the woods were dark and they looked down at a path illuminated by blue mushrooms. Sam felt as though he was on some sort of drugs, but then remembered the type of case they were on and he looked up at Mike for an explanation. Bobby did too.

"Look I'll explain on the way," Mike said. "But for now we've got to head north. I know the...people there. Dean will most likely be among them. Hopefully we can catch him before he heads out to kill this monster."

Bobby still stared, but Sam nodded in response and Mike started to lead them down the path towards the field and the woods where they needed to go.

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The kingdom was on high alert and Dean, Sindri, and Puck were currently saddling up for the long journey into the mountains that lay ahead of them. The king was currently wishing his son and Sindri the best before he got to Dean. Dean was securing the knife that was guaranteed to kill the Basket Woman so that he was certain it couldn't fall while he was riding or fighting off whatever creatures out there to get to the Basket Woman's lair. Dean wasn't worried so much about himself though. He was more worried about the princess. It had been a bad idea to let her join them when they were training. If she hadn't come along she'd be safe and Dean couldn't help but blame himself a little. She was clearly feeling things for him that Dean could never reciprocate and he felt the least bit bad for leading her on even if it hadn't been on purpose. It was no surprise that Puck didn't like him; if anybody had ever led Sam on the tiniest bit Dean would've kicked their ass.

"Good luck Dean," King Oberon walked over to him. His wife did not join him. Dean had heard she'd been bed ridden from grief. "May your travels be safe and successful; I have something I must bestow upon you now."

"Yes sir," Dean nodded and awaited the king's gift. "I'll get your daughter back."

"I place these herbs in your care," the king handed Dean a bunch of herbs folded into a cloth. "They will heal any wound inflicted or poison injected. Use them well."

"Thank you King Oberon," Dean nodded. He looked over at Puck who was already mounted on his horse and packing his bow and arrow on his back. Sindri was right behind him on an all black horse. Dean mounted Argo and looked back at his traveling companions.

"I am trusting you three to return with my daughter and the children," King Oberon gave them a determined look. "Do not fail me."

"I will not let you down father." Puck nodded and started walking his horse towards the bridge over the tiny river leading into the woods. Sindri nodded in response also and followed close behind Puck who was in the lead. Dean gave a salute and looked back at the king and his fear stricken people. Dean's look became one of determination as well and he grabbed onto the reins. He commanded the horse to trot and then to gallop once Puck and Sindri took off over the bridge into the forest in the direction of the mountains. As Dean crossed over the wooden planks he realized that the sound he heard wasn't just the horse's hooves on the bridge, but rather it was the sound of his fast beating heart too. And his heartbeat was all the hunter heard as the trees passed him by faster than lightning.

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"I was the one who introduced the portal to Somewhere to our world," Mike explained. "When I was a kid I used to spend a lot of time in the woods because well I didn't have many friends. I accidentally stumbled upon the portal when I tripped over a fallen log. The woods used to expand a lot further, but the people who built the town started cutting them down. I fell onto the path we're on now and Org was the first person, or rather creature, I met. He helped me up and showed the world for awhile. I was gone for two days without realizing it. Eventually I made it back to my worried parents, but I never went back."

"Did you tell them where you'd been?" Sam inquired.

"They'd never have believed me so I didn't," Mike said. "But that didn't stop me from thinking about that place though. I went back a few times, but not for long. I started writing about my friends there and drawing pictures about it and such just like these other kids are doing. But the problem was I started drawing thing that didn't actually exist there. I started making monsters that I had to fight along with my friends there. What I didn't know at the time was that I had unleashed a monster upon them just by believing."

"Like a Tulpa symbol," Bobby responded. He was trailing the group. "But she only needed the imagination of one kid to bring her here."

"I guess," Mike sighed. "When I grew up I stopped going to Somewhere. I got married and had a kid of my own. I used the stories of Somewhere as bedtime stories for my son. I didn't know he'd actually believe me. One night I woke up to check on him and he was just gone. I ran out of the house searching and then I went into the woods to look there. I found his teddy bear near where the portal was when I found it. I couldn't go because I was too old. But my son has yet to ever come back and I can only think that that evil bitch ate him."

"Wait if you're the one who opened up the world between Somewhere and us then that means-?"

"I haven't been very forthcoming about my identity I guess," Mike sighed. "My name is Michael Rolland and my son's name is Christopher."

Sam and Bobby were so shocked they stopped walking just to look at him.

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Dean, Sindri, and Puck had reached the end of the woods. The trees were beginning to thin out and the air was getting chillier and crisper. Dean pulled his jacket tighter and his horse whinnied before carrying on. It was as if he could sense where they were going. Dean placed his hand on the horse's neck and petted him softly in hopes of calming his nerves a bit. Puck still led the group, but Dean couldn't help but notice a twinge of fear in the warrior's eyes. Dean wanted to say something, but the words weren't coming to him. He figured they still weren't on the best of terms so he opted to keep his mouth shut. Sindri followed close behind Dean, as if he was protecting their savior. Dean did have the knife that would kill the beast, but he didn't think that was any reason to put him on a pedestal.

"Stay close," Puck ordered. "We're coming up on the pass."

Sindri caught up and was close behind Dean. Dean's swallowed hard as the trio made their way through the opening to the mountains.

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**Secrets revealed! What's to come though?**

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